If your KLM flight was delayed by more than 3 hours or cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice, you may be owed €250 to €600 — regardless of what the ticket cost.
Updated 23 September 2026 · FlightFund editorial team
KLM is registered in the EU/EEA, so EU261 applies in both directions: to flights departing EU airports and to flights into the EU from third countries.
Country of registration: Netherlands. Main hubs: Amsterdam Schiphol.
Schiphol is one of Europe’s busiest hubs and regularly runs at the edge of its capacity. KLM connections count as a single journey when bought under one reservation.
| Flight distance | Delay 3–4 hours | Delay 4+ hours or cancellation |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | €250 | €250 |
| 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | €400 |
| over 3,500 km | €300 | €600 |
Full table: UK261 amounts, real routes and the 50% reduction rule →
Paid per passenger holding a separate ticket, children included
The limitation period is set by the law of the country where the carrier is registered. For KLM that is Netherlands, so a claim can be brought within 2 years of the flight date. Legal basis — Burgerlijk Wetboek, art. 8:1835. Only 2 years — one of the shortest periods in the EU.
For comparison: Germany — 3 years, Belgium — 1 year, Poland — 1 year. Full table for 21 countries →
Only “extraordinary circumstances” release a carrier: dangerous weather, air traffic control strikes, airspace closures, security requirements, bird strikes.
These do not and compensation remains due: aircraft technical faults, strikes by the airline’s own staff, scheduling problems, late crew, overbooking.
According to the AirHelp report, roughly 52% of rejections turn out to be unjustified — carriers most often cite weather where the real cause was a technical fault. Court of Justice case law on refusals.
What to write if KLM refuses anyway: 15 refusal wordings analysed →
The next step after an airline refusal is the national enforcement body of the carrier's country of registration (Netherlands): Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT). Complaints are filed in Dutch or English and handled free of charge.
One precondition: you must first send a claim to the airline itself and either receive a reply or wait out the response deadline (roughly 8 weeks).
An enforcement body cannot force payment directly, but its opinion carries weight — airlines settle noticeably more readily once one is involved.
The fee is deducted only from the compensation recovered. No payout — no fee.
2 years — the period is set by the law of the carrier's country of registration (Netherlands), under Burgerlijk Wetboek, art. 8:1835.
At arrival — from the moment the aircraft door opens at the final destination (Court of Justice, C-452/13).
Yes, the amount depends only on flight distance, not on the fare.
A refusal is not the final word. According to AirHelp, 52% of rejections turn out to be unjustified. Ask the airline to state the exact cause in writing and to document it, then escalate to the national enforcement body of the carrier's country of registration.
Base airports and key destinations for KLM. Each airport page covers the rules for departures from there and the local enforcement body.