Air Caraïbes: delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight — your rights

Was your Air Caraïbes flight delayed, cancelled, diverted, or did you miss a connection? In certain situations, the European regulation on air passenger rights can entitle you to compensation of €400 per passenger, in addition, depending on the case, to a ticket refund, re-routing, and the reimbursement of certain expenses.

Air Caraïbes is a French carrier, which means EU Regulation 261/2004 covers it in both directions on its routes between mainland France and the French Caribbean or French Guiana. A key point that is often poorly explained elsewhere: these routes are classed as intra-Community, because the French overseas departments are part of the European Union. The applicable compensation tier is therefore €400, not €600, despite a great-circle distance well over 3,500 km. This often-misunderstood rule is explained in detail in our dedicated article on overseas department flights.

Air Caraïbes: am I entitled to compensation?

This table gives a general orientation: each situation depends on the exact route and the precise cause, detailed section by section below.

Mainland France–French Caribbean: the €400 vs €600 trap

This is the most common mistake on this type of flight: many comparison and compensation websites apply the raw great-circle distance (over 6,700 km for Paris-Fort-de-France) and advertise €600. Yet EU Regulation 261/2004 sets out an explicit exception for intra-Community flights, a category that includes routes between mainland France and its overseas departments: the applicable tier remains €400, whatever the real distance of the route.

Air Caraïbes refund: ticket price vs compensation

Two different things are often confused. The ticket refund, with the option of re-routing, is owed by Air Caraïbes as soon as it cancels a flight, whatever the direction of travel (French carrier). Where there is simply a delay of 5 hours or more, only the refund is available, and only if you give up the journey (art. 6(1)(iii) and art. 8(1)(a) of the regulation): what comes back is the price you paid, not the fixed compensation. The EU261 compensation (€400 on the overseas department routes) is a separate right, which is added to the refund. The two are cumulative whenever EU261 applies.

Air Caraïbes delayed flight

Yes, you may be entitled to €400 if your Air Caraïbes flight between mainland France and the French Caribbean or French Guiana arrives at least 3 hours late at final destination, subject to the other conditions. The delay is measured on arrival, not at departure. You do not have to prove any financial loss, unless the airline demonstrates an extraordinary circumstance.

Air Caraïbes' excuses: valid or not

Valid excuses: extreme weather (notably during the cyclone season), airspace closure, air traffic control strikes, bird strike or debris on the runway. Even then, the airline must prove it took all reasonable measures to limit the delay.

Invalid excuses (compensation remains due): a technical fault on the aircraft, even an unforeseen one (Wallentin-Hermann and van der Lans, CJEU), the aircraft running late on its previous rotation, understaffing or internal organisational problems.

Air Caraïbes cancelled flight

Yes, in principle, if Air Caraïbes cancels your flight and informs you less than 14 days before departure, you are entitled to the compensation per passenger, plus either a ticket refund OR re-routing, at your choice. These two rights are cumulative (art. 7 and art. 8 of the regulation). A travel voucher only replaces a cash refund if you accept it: you can refuse it and insist on a bank transfer. The three scenarios explained in detail.

Missed connection with Air Caraïbes

Did Air Caraïbes cause you to miss your connection? If your ticket is a single booking covering the whole journey, the delay is measured at your final destination, whichever leg caused it (Folkerts, CJEU 2013). Be careful: if you bought two separate tickets rather than a single booking, protection is far weaker, as each flight is assessed independently.

Air Caraïbes overbooking / denied boarding

Involuntary denied boarding opens the same rights as a cancellation. Article 4 of EU Regulation 261/2004 requires the airline to first call for volunteers before denying boarding to anyone. Unlike a cancellation, overbooking admits almost no excuse: it is a commercial decision by the airline, never an extraordinary circumstance.

Strikes and Air Caraïbes flights

It depends precisely on who is striking and on the circumstances — there is no universal rule. A strike by Air Caraïbes' own staff (pilots, cabin crew, ground staff employed by the airline) is generally not accepted as an extraordinary circumstance, under the CJEU's case law in Krüsemann, which holds that an employer must anticipate this type of social risk. A strike by third parties outside Air Caraïbes (air traffic controllers, airport staff not employed by the airline, a national general strike) may, depending on the case, be recognised as an extraordinary circumstance, provided Air Caraïbes proves it took all reasonable measures to limit the impact.

How to contact Air Caraïbes about a claim

Air Caraïbes handles direct claims through its official online form. Before writing yourself, keep your boarding pass, your e-ticket and any delay or cancellation notification: these are the documents that make the difference if the airline refuses or stays silent for a long time.

How long do you have to claim?

Before the French courts, the general limitation period applied by case law for the EU261 compensation is generally 5 years (art. 2224 of the French Civil Code). It is therefore best not to wait several years before acting, and to verify this time limit case by case rather than treating it as automatic.

Sources and references

• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — article 7 (compensation), article 8 (refund/re-routing), article 9 (right to care)
• Overseas department flights: why €400 and not €600
• CJEU, Krüsemann (C-195/17) — internal strikes, characterisation depending on the precise facts

How to claim with Robin des Airs

Robin des Airs checks whether your Air Caraïbes flight qualifies (real distance, intra-EU classification, cause of the delay), builds the file, sends the claim and challenges refusals. Nothing to pay if nothing is recovered. You receive 75% of the sums recovered at the amicable stage, and 60% if the airline forces us to go to court.

→ File my Air Caraïbes claim in 2 min