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Warning: only 1-year deadline to claim in Belgium

In Belgium, the claim deadline is only 1 year from the date of the flight (Art. X.49 CDE). If your flight is approaching this deadline, act immediately — once this period expires, your right to compensation is permanently lost.

Flight Delayed in Belgium? Only 1 Year to Claim — Up to €600 EU261

Q: How long do I have to claim in Belgium?

In Belgium, the limitation period is only 1 year from the date of the flight (Art. X.49 CDE — Code of Economic Law). This is one of the shortest deadlines in Europe. If your flight was more than a year ago, you have unfortunately lost the right to claim — act as soon as possible.

Q: The airline hasn't replied after 4 weeks — what now?

In Belgium, airlines are expected to respond within 3–4 weeks. If there is no reply or the claim is refused, you can report the dispute to the SPF Mobilité / FPS Mobility and Public Works (Directorate-General for Air Transport). Mediation is recommended but not mandatory in Belgium. As a last resort, you can take the case to the Justice of the Peace.

Q: Which court handles EU261 claims in Belgium?

For EU261 claims in Belgium (€250, €400 or €600), the Justice of the Peace (Vrederechter / Juge de paix) is competent for amounts up to €5,000. The procedure is simple, quick and does not require a lawyer. You file at the Justice of the Peace of your place of residence.

Q: I live in Belgium but my flight departed from France. Which law applies?

EU261 applies to any flight departing from a European airport. If your flight departed from France, it is covered by EU261 regardless. The limitation period depends on which country's court you use. If you proceed in Belgium, the 1-year Belgian limitation period (Art. X.49 CDE) may apply — consider consulting a lawyer for your specific situation.

Q: Can I file one claim for my whole family?

Yes. In Belgium, there is no family-link restriction for bundling claims. Each passenger is entitled to their own individual compensation. Claimy lets you generate a claim letter for multiple passengers in a single process.

Every passenger whose flight departs or arrives in Belgium is protected by EU Regulation 261/2004. Delayed by 3+ hours, cancelled, advanced or denied boarding — you may be entitled to up to €600. Warning: in Belgium you only have 1 year to act.

When can you claim compensation?

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Delay of 3 hours or more at arrival — it's the actual arrival time that counts, not the departure delay.
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Cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure — without an adequate alternative offered.
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Flight brought forward by more than 1 hour — if your flight departed earlier than scheduled and you could not board.
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Involuntary denied boarding — overbooking or a document issue attributable to the airline.

How much compensation can you receive?

Flight distance	Compensation
Short-haul ≤ 1,500 km (e.g. Brussels–Paris, Brussels–Amsterdam)	€250
Medium-haul 1,500–3,500 km or intra-EU (e.g. Brussels–Lisbon, Brussels–Athens)	€400
Long-haul > 3,500 km non-EU (e.g. Brussels–New York, Brussels–Dubai)	€600

The airline may reduce these amounts by 50% if it offered you an alternative route with a limited arrival delay.

Which flights departing or arriving in Belgium are covered?

→ Any flight departing from a Belgian airport (BRU Brussels-Zaventem, CRL Charleroi…) — regardless of the airline
→ Any flight arriving in Belgium operated by a European airline (EU, EEA or Switzerland)
→ Your nationality does not matter — coverage depends on the departure point and the airline

Limitation period in Belgium: only 1 year

1 year — Art. X.49 CDE

In Belgium, you have only 1 year from the date of the flight to file an EU261 compensation claim (Art. X.49 of the Code of Economic Law). This is one of the shortest deadlines in Europe. If your flight is approaching this deadline, do not wait any longer.

Statutory interest rate 2026: 4.50% — applicable if the airline delays payment after a court ruling.

How to claim in Belgium — step by step

1
Write a formal demand letter citing EU261, the exact compensation amount and a 3–4 week response deadline. Claimy generates this letter in 30 seconds.
2
Send it by registered post to the airline's registered office.
3
Wait 3–4 weeks for the airline's response.
4
If refused or no reply: report to the FPS Mobility and Public Works (SPF Mobilité / FOD Mobiliteit) — the Belgian national enforcement authority for air passenger rights. Mediation is recommended but not mandatory.
5
As a last resort: go to the Justice of the Peace (Vrederechter / Juge de paix) — competent for amounts up to €5,000, simple procedure with no mandatory lawyer.

When is the airline exempt?

The airline can refuse to pay if it proves extraordinary circumstances — events it could not have avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken:

✗ Exceptional weather conditions (storm, extreme snow, hurricane)
✗ Air traffic control strike or airspace closure
✗ Political instability or natural disaster

Important: a technical fault, staff shortage or knock-on delay is not an extraordinary circumstance under established European case law. The burden of proof lies with the airline.

Why use Claimy instead of a claims handler?

Traditional compensation services (AirHelp, Flightright, etc.) charge 25–35% commission on your payout. On €600, that's up to €210 taken from you.

Claimy generates your claim letter in 30 seconds, at a fixed price — from €9.90 to €24.90 depending on the claim amount. You keep 100% of your compensation. And in Belgium, with only 1 year to act, every day counts.

	Traditional claims handler	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

Check my eligibility →

Frequently asked questions — Belgium

How long do I have to claim in Belgium?

In Belgium, you have only 1 year from the date of the flight (Art. X.49 CDE). This is one of the shortest deadlines in Europe. If your flight is approaching the one-year mark, act immediately — after this deadline your right to compensation is permanently lost.

The airline hasn't replied after 4 weeks — what now?

After 3–4 weeks without a response or if the claim is refused, report the dispute to the FPS Mobility and Public Works (SPF Mobilité / FOD Mobiliteit). Mediation is recommended but not mandatory. As a last resort, take the case to the Justice of the Peace for amounts up to €5,000.

Which court handles EU261 claims in Belgium?

For EU261 claims (€250, €400 or €600), the Justice of the Peace (Vrederechter / Juge de paix) is competent in Belgium for amounts up to €5,000. The procedure is straightforward and does not require a lawyer.

I live in Belgium but my flight departed from France. Which law applies?

EU261 covers any flight departing from a European airport. If you proceed in Belgium, the 1-year Belgian limitation period may apply. Consider consulting a lawyer for your specific situation if you are close to the deadline.

Can I file one claim for my whole family?

Yes. In Belgium there is no family-link restriction for bundling claims. Each passenger is entitled to their own individual compensation. Claimy lets you generate a claim letter for multiple passengers in one step.

Claim by country or airline

Vol retardé — Belgique (FR) Vlucht vertraging — België (NL) Flight delay — France Flight delay — Netherlands Flight delay — Spain Flight delay — Germany Brussels Airlines delay Ryanair flight delay easyJet flight delay

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2-minute form. Letter generated immediately. Fixed price. Reminder: only 1 year to act in Belgium.

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