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Toulouse to Lille: flight delays and compensation

189,248 passengers travelled between Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) and Lille Airport (LIL) in 2024, according to Eurostat. Here is what a delay or cancellation on this route is worth in each direction, which rules apply, and how often the two airports are hit by air traffic restrictions.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Toulouse–Lille is 782 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €250 per passenger from Toulouse and €250 from Lille. 189,248 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Toulouse → LilleEU261any airline€250
Lille → ToulouseEU261any airline€250

The amount depends only on distance (782 km, measured as the great circle between the airports) – not on the ticket price – and is paid per passenger, children included. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide care (meals, drinks, a hotel overnight), and after a cancellation you choose between a refund or re-routing.

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

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Air traffic flow delays at Toulouse (TLS)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 34,658 flights arrived at TLS; 1,506 of them were held back this way, 706 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.78 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • ATC staffing62%
  • ATC capacity17%
  • weather10%
  • equipment (ATC)9%
  • aerodrome capacity2%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 28 April 2025 – 1,343 minutes, mostly weather; 21 October 2025 – 1,267 minutes, mostly ATC staffing; 19 December 2025 – 1,098 minutes, mostly ATC capacity.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 25,700 arrivals, 0.06 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly weather (54%) and equipment (ATC) (28%).

Check what happened at TLS on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (10% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (88%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Air traffic flow delays at Lille (LIL)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 7,361 flights arrived at LIL; 2 of them were held back this way, 2 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.01 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • aerodrome capacity61%
  • weather40%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 1 October 2025 – 26 minutes, mostly aerodrome capacity; 9 January 2025 – 17 minutes, mostly weather.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 5,823 arrivals, 0.00 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025).

Check what happened at LIL on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (40% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (0%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Other routes from these airports

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Toulouse–Lille flight?

The great-circle distance is 782 km. From Toulouse: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Lille: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). The delay at your final destination must be 3 hours or more, and the airline must not be able to prove extraordinary circumstances.

Is a Toulouse–Lille flight covered if the airline is not European?

Yes. Both airports apply EU261 (or UK261) to every departing flight, so the airline’s nationality does not matter in either direction.

What if the flight was cancelled?

You can choose a refund or re-routing, get care while you wait, and – unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – fixed compensation. Cancelled flight compensation.

Passenger numbers: Eurostat 2024 (passengers carried between the two airports, both directions). Delay data: EUROCONTROL. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  2. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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