Air Arabia Maroc has been ordered to pay €850 in total to a passenger after a delay of more than three hours on its Lyon–Casablanca flight. The local court in Villeurbanne ordered the airline to pay €400 in compensation and €450 in legal costs. Although the airline was formally summoned, it did not attend the hearing.
Air Arabia Maroc convicted after long delay
The case concerns flight 3O342 from Lyon to Casablanca. Arrival at Mohammed V International Airport was scheduled for 12 April 2025 at 12:20 p.m..
According to the judgment, the passenger finally arrived with more than three hours’ delay. The distance between the two airports is 1,747 kilometres.
The passenger then brought the matter before the local court of Villeurbanne, filing his claim on 31 July 2025.
€400 compensation for the delay
The passenger claimed €400 based on European Regulation No. 261/2004.
The court upheld this claim. For flights of more than 1,500 kilometres and up to 3,500 kilometres, the regulation provides for compensation of €400 when the required conditions are met.
In this case, Air Arabia Maroc did not provide any evidence showing that the delay was less than three hours. The airline also failed to prove the existence of extraordinary circumstances that could have exempted it from its obligation to compensate.
The court therefore ordered Air Arabia Maroc to pay €400 in compensation to the passenger.
The airline failed to appear in court
The airline had nevertheless signed the acknowledgment of receipt for its summons.
However, it did not appear, either in person or through a representative, at the hearing on 5 May 2026. The court therefore examined the case in its absence.
This absence did not automatically result in a conviction. The judge examined the passenger’s claims and the documents he provided before reaching a decision.
€300 for abusive resistance rejected
The passenger also sought €300 for abusive resistance.
On this point, the court rejected his claim. The judges considered that merely contesting a legal action was not, in itself, enough to constitute abuse.
The court therefore did not find the bad faith or malicious intent required to grant such additional damages.
Air Arabia Maroc must pay a total of €850
In addition to the €400 provided for by European regulation, the court awarded the passenger €450 under Article 700 of the French Code of Civil Procedure.
Air Arabia Maroc must also bear the court costs.
In total, the amount ordered comes to €850, excluding costs. The judgment also specifies that provisional enforcement applies by operation of law.
A reminder of air passenger rights
This decision serves as a reminder of the rules applying to passengers departing from an airport in the European Union.
When a flight arrives at least three hours late, European law may entitle passengers to compensation, in particular provided there are no extraordinary circumstances.
In this case, the court considered that all the conditions were met. Air Arabia Maroc must therefore compensate the passenger with €400 and pay an additional €450 to cover legal costs.
The judgment was delivered on 2 September 2026 by the judicial court of Lyon, local court of Villeurbanne, under case number RG 25/03469.
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