Flight Delayed or Cancelled in the Netherlands? EU261 Rights at Schiphol and Eindhoven
Amsterdam Schiphol is one of Europe's biggest connecting hubs, so a delay there often means a missed onward flight. EU261 applies to every flight departing the Netherlands and to EU airlines flying in from outside the EU, including from the Dutch Caribbean.
Main airports and airlines in the Netherlands
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is the hub of KLM (Air France-KLM group) and a base for Transavia. Other airports include Eindhoven (EIN), Rotterdam The Hague (RTM), Maastricht (MST) and Groningen (GRQ). TUI fly Netherlands and Corendon run many holiday flights.
When EU261 applies to flights in the Netherlands
EU261, the EU's air passenger rights law, generally applies when:
- You depart from an airport in the Netherlands, on any airline. So a US or Asian airline departing Schiphol is covered as well as KLM.
- You fly into the Netherlands from outside the EU on an airline licensed in the EU. A KLM flight into Amsterdam from Curaçao or New York is covered.
Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands are not part of the EU for these rules. Flights from Amsterdam to them are covered as EU departures; flights back are covered when an EU airline such as KLM operates them.
Delays: care, re-routing and refunds
The airline must offer care (food and drink, two calls or emails, and a hotel with transfers if an overnight stay is needed) after a 2-hour delay on flights up to 1,500 km (Amsterdam to Paris, about 400 km), 3 hours on flights within the EU over 1,500 km or other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km (Amsterdam to Lisbon, about 1,850 km), and 4 hours on longer flights (Amsterdam to Curaçao, about 7,830 km). If the delay reaches 5 hours, you may give up the trip and request a refund. For a cancellation, the airline must let you pick a refund or re-routing.
The fixed amounts in the regulation
EU261 also lists fixed amounts tied to distance, not ticket price: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger. They are relevant when you reach your final destination 3+ hours late, your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you are bumped. The airline can halve the €600 amount in some cases when arrival is within 4 hours of schedule. What applies to you depends on the facts.
Extraordinary circumstances and local disruptions
An airline can refuse the fixed amounts if it proves extraordinary circumstances: events beyond its control, like dangerous weather, ATC decisions or strikes, or security alerts. Ordinary technical problems and walkouts by its own employees have generally not qualified at the EU Court of Justice. Meals and hotels are still required. Strong winds can force Schiphol to use fewer runways, which cuts capacity and causes delays. Severe weather can be extraordinary; ordinary schedule congestion generally is not.
Where to complain in the Netherlands
Write to the airline first and keep a copy. If that does not resolve it, contact the national enforcement body in the country where the problem happened. The Dutch national enforcement body is the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport, ILT) in The Hague. ILT says to complain to the airline first; it can step in if the airline has not answered within two months or you cannot agree, and it does not decide individual payment claims. Information and the complaint form: english.ilent.nl.
Coming in 2027: Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 amends EU261. Most changes apply from 23 October 2027, including a general nine-month deadline for compensation requests. Until then, the current rules above apply.
FAQ
Is my KLM flight back from Curaçao covered? Yes, because KLM is an EU airline flying into the EU. A non-EU airline on the same route generally would not be covered.
I missed my connection at Schiphol. What applies? If both flights were on one booking, the delay is generally measured at your final destination. See our missed connection guide.
Who enforces EU261 in the Netherlands? The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT).
Related guides
- EU261 guide (en español)
- Flight cancelled: your options
- Missed connection guide
- All Europe flight delay guides
Create your letter
Delay Draft writes a clear letter you send to the airline yourself ($9.99 for 1 to 2 travelers, $24.99 for 3 to 6). We are not a law firm and do not file claims for you. Questions: claims@delaydraft.com.