If your KLM flight was delayed, cancelled, or overbooked, you may be entitled to compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261) or UK261. But what if the disruption happened months — or even years — ago? Is there a deadline for filing your claim?
The short answer: yes, there is a time limit — but it depends on the country where you file your claim.
Check your compensation online.
Can You Claim Compensation for Old Flights?
Yes, you can.
Many passengers wrongly assume it’s “too late” to claim compensation for past flights. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about flight compensation.
In reality, both EU261 and UK261 allow you to file a claim years after the flight disruption. The exact deadline depends on the national laws where your claim is submitted — usually anywhere between 2 and 6 years after the incident.
The time limit for flight delay compensation varies from country to country, from a few months to 6 years.
Time Limit for Claiming Flight Delay Compensation, Flight Cancellation & Flight Overbooking Compensation
Here’s how long you have to claim in some major European countries:
- Austria: 3 years
- Belgium: 1 year
- Bulgaria: 1 year
- Croatia: 2 years
- Cyprus: 6 years
- Czech Republic: notify in 6 months, claim up to 3 years
- Denmark: 3 years
- Estonia: 3 years
- Finland: 3 years
- France: 5 years
- Germany: 3 years (time limit is until the end of the 3rd calendar year)
- Greece: 5 years
- Hungary: 2 years
- Iceland: 2 years
- Italy: 1 year
- Ireland: 6 years
- Latvia: submit complaint within 6 months; claims valid for 3 years
- Lithuania: 3 years
- Netherlands: 2 years
- Norway: 3 years
- Poland: 1 year
- Portugal: 3 years
- Romania: 3 years
- Scotland: 5 years
- Slovakia: 2 years
- Slovenia: 2 years
- Spain: 5 years
- Switzerland: 2 years
- Sweden: notify within 2 months, then claim up to 10 years
- UK (except Scotland): 6 years
Time limits may change, so please check the latest information on official government websites.
Check your compensation online.
Why Is There a Time Limit?
EU261 and UK261 don’t specify one universal deadline.
Instead, each country applies its own statute of limitations — the same concept used for other legal claims.
This ensures that claims are filed while evidence such as booking confirmations, boarding passes, and flight records are still available. The goal isn’t to restrict passengers, but to keep claims fair and verifiable.
In short: depending on national law, you may have a few months to several years to submit your claim.
Why Airlines Say “It’s Too Late” Even Though It Isn’t?
Some airlines reject claims by saying passengers missed the deadline — but that’s not always true.
The actual deadline is set by national law, not the airline.
Even if the airline insists otherwise, you may still have the right to claim compensation.
Practical Tips for Claiming EU/UK Flight Compensation
- Act quickly: the sooner you claim, the easier it is to collect and verify evidence.
- Keep documentation: boarding passes, booking confirmations, and emails strengthen your claim.
- Escalate if needed: if the airline refuses unfairly, contact the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK or the National Enforcement Body (NEB) in the EU.
Read more:
- How to Claim KLM Compensation?
- KLM Flight Delay Compensation
- KLM Flight Cancellation Compensation
- KLM Denied Boarding Compensation
Featured photo by Leeloo The First from Pexels