Flight compensation for a family: each passenger counts
Travelling with children, your flight is delayed 4 hours on the way back from holidays. You're tired, you assume it's "one compensation per booking" and you skip the claim. You just left €2,000 on the table.
EC 261/2004 is clear: compensation is per passenger, not per family or per booking. Every paying passenger has their own right — children included.
The rule: each passenger, the full amount
| Flight distance | Compensation per passenger | Family of 4 total |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1 500 km | €250 | €1,000 |
| 1,500-3 500 km | €400 | €1,600 |
| > 3 500 km | €600 | €2,400 |
Concrete example: Paris-Dakar family of 4
Air France flight Paris-Dakar (4 200 km, intercontinental). Delayed 4h at arrival. Family of 2 adults + 2 children (10 and 7 years old, paid tickets).
- Each passenger: €600
- Total family: 4 × €600 = €2,400
Children, infants, teenagers: what counts
- Infant on lap (0-2 years): usually free or symbolic ticket (~10% of fare), no own seat. NO compensation in their name.
- Child 2+ with own seat (even discounted): full compensation, same amount as adult.
- Teenager 12+: full ticket, full compensation.
Who claims for the children?
The parent or legal guardian files the claim on behalf of minor children. Documents required:
- Identity document of the child (passport, ID card)
- Family record book or birth certificate (parental authority)
- Tickets and boarding passes in the child's name
Payment is usually consolidated to the parent's account.
Group bookings and separate bookings: same right
Whether you booked the 4 tickets together or separately doesn't change your right. Each booking reference allows a claim:
- Group booking: 1 claim with 4 passengers
- Separate bookings: 4 individual claims
Total compensation: identical.
Multi-leg trip: total distance counts
EC 261 compensation is calculated on the great-circle distance from initial departure to final destination, not segment by segment.
Example: Paris → Madrid → Dakar with the Paris-Madrid leg delayed, causing you to miss Madrid-Dakar and arrive in Dakar 5h late.
- Paris-Dakar great-circle: ≈4 200 km
- Compensation: €600 per passenger
- Family of 4: €2,400 even if only the first leg caused the chain effect
How to file family claim
- Gather documents for each passenger: ticket, boarding pass, ID. Don't forget the children's identity documents.
- Calculate total distance initial departure → final destination.
- Verify all conditions: delay 3h+ on arrival, no extraordinary circumstances, less than 14 days notice for cancellation.
- File one consolidated claim or one per passenger — same result.
- Provide one IBAN for consolidated payment, or one per adult if needed.
The trap: airline offering "one voucher per family"
Some airlines, when they finally pay, offer "one voucher worth 4×€400" as a single package. This is not legal:
- Each passenger has their own cash right (article 7 + 8 EC 261)
- Voucher requires individual consent of each passenger (or parent for minors)
- Lumping into one global voucher: refuse, demand individual cash compensations
How Robin des Airs helps families
Family compensation claims are our specialty. We file all the passengers in a single procedure, including the minor children's docs. 25% commission, only on success. A family of 4 on Paris-Lagos delayed 5h, that's €2,400 recovered — minus 25% = €1,800 net for you.
Related: Compensation amounts: €250, €400, €600, Missed connection: how to claim.