Brussels Airport flight compensation
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Quick answer
Every flight departing Brussels Airport is covered by Regulation 261/2004 on any airline; inbound flights from outside the EU are covered on EU airlines such as Brussels Airlines. Brussels–London, Brussels–Madrid and the European network pay €250; Brussels–New York and Brussels–Kinshasa pay €600. The FPS Mobility and Transport handles complaints, and Belgian law gives two years from the flight to bring a court claim.
Rules for flights departing Brussels Airport
Every flight departing from Brussels Airport is covered by EU Regulation 261/2004, regardless of the airline.
Flights into Brussels Airport from outside the EU/EEA are covered only when operated by an EU/EEA-licensed airline.
Location: BRU / EBBR · 50.9014, 4.4844 · Belgium
Care and re-routing when leaving Brussels
Delayed at the gate: meals, refreshments and two calls or e-mails from 2 h of delay on flights up to 1,500 km, 3 h up to 3,500 km (and on every intra-EU flight over 1,500 km), 4 h beyond — plus a hotel and transport when the departure moves to the next day. Owed whatever the cause.
Cancelled or denied boarding: the choice between a refund of the unused ticket within 7 days and re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity or on a later date of your choosing, with care while you wait.
Delayed 5 h or more: you may give up the journey and take a full refund of the unused ticket, with a return flight to your departure point if the trip has lost its purpose.
Brussels is exposed to national strike days that close or thin out the airport, and to Belgian ATC staffing limits. Belgian law gives two years from the flight for these claims, which is the shortest in western Europe — a Brussels departure should be claimed at once.
Enforcement body
Example routes from Brussels
- London (LHR) · 350 km€250
- Madrid (MAD) · 1,314 km€250
- Rome (FCO) · 1,173 km€250
- Barcelona (BCN) · 1,084 km€250
- New York (JFK) · 5,886 km€600
- Kinshasa (FIH) · 6,236 km€600
- Paris (CDG) · 252 km€250
- Lisbon (LIS) · 1,717 km€400
Can I claim compensation for a flight from Brussels?
EU261 applies to every airline on this route: €250–€600 per passenger for an arrival delay of 3 hours or more, a cancellation announced under 14 days ahead, or denied boarding, unless the airline proves an extraordinary circumstance. Refund, re-routing and care are due whatever the cause.
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Flying from Brussels?
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Already known from this page
- From Brussels (BRU)
What happened to your flight?
Brussels-specific issues
Brussels is Brussels Airlines’ hub for its Africa network and a station for Ryanair, TUI fly Belgium and most European majors. Belgian national strike days and industrial action by skeyes (Belgian ATC) are the recurring cause of cancellations: third-party strikes are generally extraordinary, but the airline must still refund or re-route you, provide care, and show it took all reasonable measures. Strikes by the airline’s own crew are not extraordinary.
On a single Brussels Airlines booking, the delay is measured at your final destination; a late European sector that costs you the Kinshasa or New York connection is a €600 case.
Airlines at Brussels
Brussels Airlines, Ryanair, TUI fly Belgium, easyJet Europe, Lufthansa, SWISS, KLM, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, United and Delta (inbound not covered), Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines.
Escalation
- Claim from the airline in writing.
- FPS Mobility and Transport — Passenger Rights — Belgium’s enforcement body (assesses complaints; does not order payment).
- The Belgian Consumer Ombudsman Service for mediation where no sector scheme applies.
- Justice de paix / vredegerecht small claims, or the European Small Claims Procedure — Belgian law sets a two-year period for passenger-transport contracts (Article X.49 of the Code of Economic Law), so escalate without delay.
Sources
- Court of Justice of the European UnionCase C-28/20 Airhelp v Scandinavian Airlines — a strike organised by the airline's own staff is not an extraordinary circumstance
- Court of Justice of the European UnionCase C-139/11 Cuadrench Moré v KLM — the time limit for bringing a compensation claim under Regulation 261/2004 is determined by the national law of each Member State
- Court of Justice of the European UnionJoined Cases C-402/07 and C-432/07 Sturgeon v Condor and Böck v Air France — passengers of flights delayed by three hours or more may claim compensation
- European Commission — DG MOVEAir passenger rights (including list of National Enforcement Bodies)
- European Parliament and CouncilRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights
Last legally reviewed: 12 September 2026 · Content updated: 12 September 2026
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