Can I claim for the cancellation of the return flight for not taking the outbound flight?
What does ‘no show’ mean?
The ‘no show’ clause, which means ‘not showing up’ or ‘not appearing’ in French, is a practice where airlines cancel the return flight because passengers did not show up for the outbound flight.
Is ‘no show’ legal?
This ‘no show’ practice, which was previously subject to the discretion of judges who generally deemed it abusive and therefore illegal, was supported by the Supreme Court on November 13, 2018. The court declared that it implies an imbalance of rights and obligations contrary to good faith. Since a consumer who has fulfilled their obligation, which is solely the payment of the fare, is deprived of the benefit of the contracted service in all cases, for reasons that can be diverse, and they have decided or been compelled to enjoy only part of it.”
Therefore, the ‘no show’ practice is illegal and can be subject to a claim.
Can I claim for a flight that was cancelled due to ‘no show’?
Indeed, given that this practice has been declared illegal, it is treated as a denied boarding, and you can claim compensation ranging from €250 to €600 if the European Regulation applies (for European airlines or those originating from a European country). These compensations vary based on the distance in kilometers, as shown in the table below:
Table – Compensation according to EU Regulation 261/2004 for ‘no show’ claims Distance in Km Compensation for delay
| Distance in KM | Compensation in case of delay |
| Less than 1,500 km | 250€ |
| 1,500 Km – 3,500 Km | 400€ |
| More than 3,500 Km | 600€ |
Additionally, they must rebook the flight for free, and if they fail to do so, you can claim the cost of the new flight (in addition to the compensation per km) + other expenses and damages arising from the ‘no show’.
