Lille Airport

Lille-Lesquin International Airport serves the city of Lille in the North. It is the busiest airport in the Hauts-de-France region, alongside Paris-Beauvais Airport.

Like the latter, Lille Airport is a base for many low-cost airlines: Ryanair, EasyJet, Volotea, TUIfly Belgium. It also offers regular flights to Maghreb countries with airlines such as Air Algérie, Air Arabia Maroc, and Nouvelair Tunisie.

However, most of its traffic remains European, or at least operated by European airlines. For travellers, this means that European law usually applies.

Lille Airport, a primarily European airport

Lille Airport is based in France, not far from the Belgian border. It is therefore fully subject to European law.

Moreover, the majority of airlines operating there are from the European community area. There are four exceptions: Air Algérie, Air Arabia Maroc, Nouvelair Tunisie, and EasyJet, which is a British airline.

Since Brexit, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the community area. EasyJet therefore does not have the status of a European airline. However, as a low-cost airline, it operates extensively outside its home country. From Lille Airport, all its destinations are European.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004

In 2004, a regulation was established at the European level to oversee airline practices and ensure passenger rights. This is Regulation (EC) No 261/2004.

Which flights are covered?

The texts clearly define which flights are covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. It applies to:

all flights departing from an airport within the European community area
any flight arriving in the same community area, operated by an airline based there.

In the specific case of Lille Airport, most flights are indeed covered. This also applies to EasyJet flights to Lille. Since they all originate from European airports, they are also covered.

The only exception concerns flights from the Maghreb, operated by Air Arabia Maroc, Air Algérie, and Nouvelair Tunisie.

What are your rights at Lille Airport?

Apart from this exception, the rights provided by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 apply. There are four main rights to note.

The right to reach your destination

You have paid for your plane ticket. If you arrive on time for boarding, your documents are in order, and your behaviour poses no risk, the airline must take you to your destination.

This obligation continues until you arrive.

The right to rerouting in case of cancellation or overbooking

If your flight is cancelled or if the airline denies you boarding due to overbooking, they must offer you an alternative solution.

The rerouting must occur as soon as possible and closely match the originally planned flight.

If no solution suits you, you can ask the airline for a refund.

Warning! If you accept the refund, you waive any further assistance from the airline. This means you will have to arrange another flight yourself, and all other incurred costs will be your responsibility. Additionally, you also forfeit any potential compensation.

The right to care in case of disruption

In case of a significant delay on your flight, the airline must cover your potential expenses. They must provide meals and drinks. If they do not provide them directly, they can cover them through airport vendors.

Sometimes, a disruption requires you to stay overnight to catch a flight the next day. In this case, the airline must cover your hotel stay.

You can request coverage for your phone calls, up to two. However, with the widespread availability of unlimited mobile plans, you are unlikely to need this.

The right, under certain conditions, to a fixed compensation

In case of a significant delay, flight cancellation, or overbooking, European regulations provide for a fixed compensation. This is not automatic: you must request it.

In some cases, the airline will not be required to compensate you:

if they informed you of the disruption at least fifteen days in advance
if they reroute you at the same times as originally planned
in case of extraordinary circumstances (strike, bad weather, geopolitical risks…).

Note that a strike within the airline does not exempt them from refunding you. They are considered responsible.

The compensation for delay is as follows:

€250 for a flight of less than 1500 km with at least 3 hours delay
€400 for a non-community flight of 1500 to 3500 km or a community flight of more than 1500 km with at least 3 hours delay
€600 for a non-community flight of more than 3500 km with at least 4 hours delay.

In case of flight cancellation, the same scale applies. Compensation is due regardless of the delay, but if it remains below the mentioned thresholds, it is reduced by 50%.

If you are denied boarding due to overbooking, again, compensation is due, following the same scale as for a cancellation. However, unlike a cancellation, there is little risk that the airline will refuse to compensate you: they will find it harder to contest their responsibility.

woman looking at planes through the window at Lille airport

Is your flight disrupted at Lille Airport? Claim your compensation

Whether you are arriving at or departing from Lille Airport, there is a high chance that Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 applies to you.

Did your flight encounter issues? A cancellation, a delay? Or were you denied boarding due to overbooking?

You are likely entitled to fixed compensation, as provided by European regulations. As specialists in air passenger rights, Delayed can assist you with your claim.