Nairobi-Paris flight delay: claim €600 compensation

The Nairobi-Paris route (≈6 400 km) is a major Africa-Europe corridor, served by Air France direct, KLM (via Amsterdam), Lufthansa (via Frankfurt), and Kenya Airways (with codeshare partners). EC 261 applies for EU-airline-operated flights.

Compensation amount

• Distance Nairobi-Paris: ≈6 400 km direct
• EC 261 bracket: >3 500 km
• Compensation: €600 per passenger
• Conditions: delay 3h+ at Paris CDG (final destination)

Route operators and EC 261 coverage

Kenya Airways codeshare nuance

If your ticket is sold as Kenya Airways but operated by an EU partner (KLM, Air France), EC 261 applies. Check the boarding pass: the "operated by" mention indicates the operating carrier responsible for compensation.

Common delay causes on Nairobi-Paris

• Nairobi (JKIA) congestion: routine operational issue, not extraordinary.
• Crew rotation: internal management, not extraordinary.
• Technical issues: per Wallentin-Hermann, not extraordinary.
• Weather at intermediate hub: only valid if NOTAM-confirmed.
• Slot delays at Paris CDG: may be extraordinary if true ATC event.

How to claim

1. Gather documents: PNR, boarding pass, photo of arrival time at Paris CDG.
2. Submit online claim on the operating airline's website (Air France, KLM, Lufthansa).
3. Provide IBAN: EU account is fastest, Kenyan account also accepted.
4. Wait 30-60 days.
5. Escalate to DGAC France or Dutch ACM if refused.

What the regulation actually says

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 is the legal text behind this claim. Here is what it says, article by article:

• Article 5, cancellation: if your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer a refund or rerouting, plus compensation unless you were informed far enough in advance or offered a close rerouting.
• Article 6 and the Sturgeon ruling, long delay: Article 6 covers delay at departure. The CJEU's Sturgeon ruling (C-402/07) extended the right to compensation to any delay of 3 hours or more at final arrival, treating it like a cancellation.
• Article 7, compensation amount: the amount depends on distance, fixed per passenger regardless of ticket price: 250 euros under 1,500 km, 400 euros between 1,500 and 3,500 km, 600 euros above 3,500 km.
• Article 5(3), extraordinary circumstances: the airline's only valid defence. Routine technical issues, crew rotation problems and airport congestion generally do not qualify; a genuinely exceptional event might.

How Robin des Airs helps

Specialist in East Africa-Europe routes. Direct experience with Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines, Kenya Airways. We file in the most favourable EU jurisdiction. You keep 75% of what we recover, and pay nothing if we recover nothing.

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