Air France loses challenge to €10,000 fine over passenger arriving from Rabat
An Air France software screenshot was at the heart of a €10,000 dispute. After a passenger arriving at Roissy from Rabat was found without the required travel document, the airline thought it could justify its checks using information stored in its computer system. The Paris Administrative Court ruled otherwise.
On December 9, 2023, a passenger disembarked at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport from an Air France flight from Rabat. During an inspection, authorities found that he did not have the required travel document. On August 19, 2024, the Interior Ministry penalized the airline, imposing a €10,000 fine. Air France then brought a case before the Paris Administrative Court to challenge the decision.
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In its defense, the airline submitted a screenshot of its ALTEA check-in software. The file contained the passenger’s purported last name, first name, date of birth and nationality, as well as his passport number. Air France argued that this information showed the passenger had presented a valid document when boarding in Morocco.
The police database populated with data from Air France
In its ruling of October 1, 2026, the Paris Administrative Court examined the significance of the screenshot. The judges held that recording a passport number in a computer system establishes only that information was provided, whereas regulations require the airline to prove that travel documents were actually presented at the time of boarding.
Air France also cited the SETRADER database, used by the border police, which contains the same information. The judges noted a decisive detail: the police database is itself populated with information supplied by airlines. The match between the two systems therefore relies on a common source.
This document-checking obligation has already led to several penalties against airlines operating flights from Morocco. In particular, carriers must verify the validity of documents presented before allowing passengers to board flights to France.
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The court ultimately dismissed Air France’s appeal and upheld the full €10,000 fine. It also refused to order the state to pay the €2,000 the airline had sought for its legal costs. The decision, issued after the September 15, 2026 hearing, brings to a close proceedings launched nearly three years after the Rabat–Paris flight.
