Brussels Airlines Flight Delayed or Cancelled? Claim up to €600
Brussels Airlines, Belgium's flag carrier and part of the Lufthansa Group, is fully subject to EU Regulation 261/2004. If your flight was delayed by 3 hours or more, or cancelled less than 14 days before departure, you are entitled to compensation of up to €600 per passenger. Note: in Belgium, the deadline to claim is only 1 year.
In Belgium, the limitation period for EU261 claims is 1 year only from the flight date (Article X.49 of the Code of Economic Law). If your flight is approaching its 12-month anniversary, act immediately.
Situations covered by EU261 with Brussels Airlines
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Delay of 3 hours or more on arrival — the clock stops when the aircraft doors open at your final destination.
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Cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure — without an adequate alternative offered by Brussels Airlines.
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Flight brought forward by more than 1 hour — if Brussels Airlines moved your departure earlier and you could not be present at the new time.
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Involuntary denied boarding — overbooking or a documentation issue attributable to Brussels Airlines.
How to claim against Brussels Airlines
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Generate your formal demand letter with Claimy — in 30 seconds, with the correct legal references and exact compensation amount.
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Send it by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to Brussels Airlines' official address:
Brussels Airlines NV/SA, Customer Relations, Brussels Airport, Ringbaan, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium -
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You can also file a claim online via brusselsairlines.com → Help → EU261 Compensation. Registered post is recommended to keep a proof of date.
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Wait for Brussels Airlines' response — typically 3 to 4 weeks. If they refuse or stay silent, escalate. As a Belgian company, Brussels Airlines is directly subject to Belgian courts.
If Brussels Airlines refuses or does not reply
If Brussels Airlines does not respond within 4 weeks or rejects your claim, escalate:
- → SPF Mobilité et Transports (mobilit.belgium.be)
- → Justice of the peace — directly competent for disputes up to €5,000
- → No mandatory pre-litigation mediation in Belgium
- → DGAC (Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile)
- → Médiateur du Tourisme et du Voyage (MTV)
- → Civil court (Tribunal judiciaire)
EU261 compensation amounts
| Flight distance | Compensation | Brussels Airlines example |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1,500 km | €250 | BRU → Amsterdam, London, Paris |
| 1,500–3,500 km or intra-EU | €400 | BRU → Athens, Casablanca, Tel Aviv |
| > 3,500 km outside EU | €600 | BRU → New York, Kinshasa, Johannesburg |
Brussels Airlines may reduce these amounts by 50% if they offered re-routing with a limited arrival delay.
Why use Claimy instead of a claims agency?
Claims agencies such as AirHelp or Flightright charge 25 to 35% commission on your compensation.
| Claims agency | Claimy | |
|---|---|---|
| On €250 | You receive ~€175 | You receive €240.10 |
| On €400 | You receive ~€280 | You receive €385.10 |
| On €600 | You receive ~€420 | You receive €575.10 |
Claimy generates your formal demand letter in 30 seconds for a fixed fee from €9.90. You send it yourself and keep 100% of your compensation.
Check my eligibility →Frequently asked questions — Brussels Airlines
How long do I have to claim against Brussels Airlines?
In Belgium, only 1 year from the flight date (Article X.49 CDE) — one of the shortest deadlines in Europe. From France, you have 5 years. Do not wait if your flight is approaching the 12-month mark.
My Brussels Airlines flight was connected with a Lufthansa flight — who is liable?
Each airline is responsible for the flights it actually operates. If the problematic leg was operated by Brussels Airlines (SN flight number), claim against Brussels Airlines. If it was operated by Lufthansa (LH flight number), claim against Lufthansa — even if you booked through Brussels Airlines.
Brussels Airlines cited a strike — is that an extraordinary circumstance?
It depends. An air traffic control strike (external) is extraordinary and exempts the airline. A strike by Brussels Airlines' own staff (internal) is generally not considered extraordinary under European case law — the airline remains liable.
Brussels Airlines hasn't replied after 4 weeks — what should I do?
Contact the SPF Mobilité et Transports (Belgium) or the DGAC (France). In Belgium, you can also go directly to the justice of the peace without prior mediation. Brussels Airlines being a Belgian company makes this route particularly accessible.
My Brussels Airlines flight was delayed due to the previous flight's late arrival — am I covered?
Yes. A knock-on delay (retard en cascade) caused by a previous late-arriving aircraft does not constitute an extraordinary circumstance. Brussels Airlines is responsible for managing its rotation schedule. If you arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours late, you are entitled to compensation.
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