The Paris–Rome route connects two of Europe's most iconic cities and is one of the continent's most popular leisure and business air corridors. Flights operate from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Paris Orly (ORY) to Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Rome Ciampino (CIA), with multiple daily services across several airlines. With this frequency come regular delays — and under EU Regulation EC 261/2004, passengers have clear legal rights to compensation when flights arrive late.
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If your Paris–Rome or Rome–Paris flight arrived 3 or more hours late, you are entitled to €250 per passenger — regardless of your ticket price.
Compensation Amount for Paris–Rome Flights
The distance between Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO) is approximately 1,107 km. This falls in the under 1,500 km compensation band under EC 261/2004, making the fixed compensation:
€250 per passenger
This amount is the same for all fare classes and ticket prices. Two passengers on a delayed Paris–Rome flight receive €500 combined; four passengers, €1,000.
Note: some itineraries routed through connecting airports may place your total journey above 1,500 km, potentially qualifying for the €400 band. If your journey involved a stopover, consult a passenger rights specialist.
When EC 261/2004 Applies to Your Flight
EC 261/2004 entitles you to compensation when all of the following conditions are met:
1. Your flight arrived at least 3 hours late Delay is measured at arrival — specifically, when the aircraft doors open at your destination. The departure delay alone does not determine your entitlement. If a Paris–Rome flight departs 3.5 hours late but lands only 2.5 hours behind schedule (due to favourable tailwinds or shortened taxi time), no compensation is due.
2. Your flight departed from an EU airport, or was operated by an EU-based airline into the EU Both France and Italy are EU member states. All flights from CDG, ORY, FCO, or CIA — operated by any airline — are covered by EC 261/2004. This includes UK-registered carriers (EasyJet, Ryanair — Irish carrier) operating from French or Italian airports.
3. You held a confirmed booking and checked in on time A valid booking confirmation and timely check-in are sufficient. You do not need to have used a paper boarding pass.
Important exception: if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances — such as severe weather, air traffic control strikes, a volcanic eruption, or political unrest — the airline is not required to pay the fixed compensation. However, technical faults and internal operational issues are the airline's responsibility, and compensation remains due.
Airlines Operating Paris–Rome
Air France
France's flag carrier operates Paris CDG–Rome Fiumicino with multiple daily flights. As an EU carrier, EC 261/2004 applies in both directions. Air France has a structured claims process and a dedicated online portal. The airline is generally compliant with its legal obligations but commonly offers travel vouchers as a first response — you are entitled to refuse and request cash instead.
ITA Airways (formerly Alitalia)
ITA Airways is Italy's national carrier, successor to Alitalia, which collapsed in 2021. ITA operates Rome Fiumicino–Paris CDG services and is an EU carrier. As a relatively young airline still building its processes, claims handling can be slower — consider professional claim assistance if there is no response within 2 months.
EasyJet
EasyJet operates Paris Orly and CDG to Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino. EasyJet is a UK/Swiss-registered carrier; when departing from France or Italy (EU airports), EC 261/2004 applies in full. When departing from Rome to Paris, the same EU rules apply. EasyJet has an online claims portal but has a reputation for initially disputing claims.
Ryanair
Ryanair serves Paris Beauvais (BVA, approximately 85 km from central Paris) to Rome Ciampino (CIA, 15 km from Rome city centre). Note that Ryanair markets these as "Paris" and "Rome" flights — confirm your exact airports before booking or claiming. As an Irish-registered EU carrier, EC 261/2004 applies in full. Ryanair is known for frequent initial refusals; a passenger rights service may be the most efficient route to compensation.
How to Claim Compensation — 4 Steps
Step 1: Confirm the delay duration Use FlightAware, Flightradar24, or the airline's own flight status tool to confirm that your flight arrived 3 or more hours late. Record the scheduled and actual arrival times.
Step 2: Submit a formal claim to the airline File your claim via the airline's online portal or by email (keep copies of all correspondence). Include: booking reference, passenger name(s), flight number, flight date, and your bank account IBAN for transfer. Request €250 per passenger explicitly, citing EC 261/2004, Article 7.
Step 3: Evaluate the airline's response The airline has up to 2 months to respond. If they offer a voucher, decline in writing and restate your request for cash. If they refuse citing extraordinary circumstances, ask for the specific legal justification and assess it critically.
Step 4: Escalate if the airline refuses In France, escalate to the DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile). In Italy, contact ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile). Alternatively, use a specialist service like AirHelp, which processes claims on a no-win, no-fee basis and handles the negotiation and legal process on your behalf.
Full Route Information
For detailed route data including operators, average flight times, and delay statistics on the Paris–Rome corridor, see:
FAQ — Paris–Rome Flight Delay Compensation
How much is the compensation for a delayed Paris–Rome flight? €250 per passenger. The route is approximately 1,107 km, which falls in the under-1,500 km compensation band under EC 261/2004.
Does it matter which Paris airport I flew from? No. Whether you departed from CDG, ORY, or even Beauvais (BVA), all are in France (an EU member state) and all flights are covered by EC 261/2004. The compensation amount is the same regardless of departure airport.
ITA Airways rejected my claim — is that final? No. You can escalate to ENAC in Italy, which has enforcement authority over ITA as an Italian-registered carrier. ENAC can order the airline to pay if the rejection was unlawful.
My flight was cancelled instead of delayed — does EC 261/2004 still apply? Yes. Flight cancellations are covered by EC 261/2004. If you received less than 14 days' notice, you are entitled to the same €250 compensation, plus the choice of a full refund or rerouting. With 7–14 days' notice, partial compensation applies depending on the alternative offered.
Can I claim for a Paris–Rome flight I took 3 years ago? Limitation periods differ by country. In France, it is 5 years; in Italy, 2 years. If your flight departed from France (CDG or ORY), you likely have 5 years to claim. Use a passenger rights service to assess older claims.
Not sure how much you can claim? Use our compensation calculator to check your eligibility in under a minute. For a full overview of your passenger rights, see our guide to EC 261/2004.