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Porto to Brussels Charleroi: flight delays and compensation

171,049 passengers travelled between Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) and Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) in 2024, according to Eurostat. Here is what a delay or cancellation on this route is worth in each direction, which rules apply, and how often the two airports are hit by air traffic restrictions.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Porto–Brussels is 1,440 km. A 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth €250 per passenger from Porto and €250 from Brussels. 171,049 passengers used the route in 2024.

What you can claim on this route

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3 h+ delay / late cancellation
Porto → BrusselsEU261any airline€250
Brussels → PortoEU261any airline€250

The amount depends only on distance (1,440 km, measured as the great circle between the airports) – not on the ticket price – and is paid per passenger, children included. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide care (meals, drinks, a hotel overnight), and after a cancellation you choose between a refund or re-routing.

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

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Strikes that could affect this route

  • 2026-12-19–2026-12-23, Portugal: easyJet cabin crew based in Portugal (SNPVAC) (announced)

Strikes by air traffic controllers or airport staff usually count as extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff usually do not. Strike calendar.

Air traffic flow delays at Porto (OPO)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 56,319 flights arrived at OPO; 4,324 of them were held back this way, 2,790 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 2.45 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • weather73%
  • aerodrome capacity11%
  • equipment (ATC)10%
  • ATC staffing4%
  • other1%
  • equipment (non-ATC)0%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 6 June 2025 – 7,259 minutes, mostly equipment (ATC); 30 May 2025 – 7,178 minutes, mostly weather; 3 October 2025 – 5,533 minutes, mostly weather.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 45,260 arrivals, 1.14 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (better than 2025), mainly weather (86%) and aerodrome capacity (7%).

Air traffic control strike days recorded for OPO since 2024: 2 June 2026 (60 min).

Check what happened at OPO on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (73% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (14%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Air traffic flow delays at Brussels (CRL)

EUROCONTROL records the delay imposed on arriving flights when the airport or the airspace around it cannot take more traffic (air traffic flow management, “ATFM”). In 2025, 35,712 flights arrived at CRL; 64 of them were held back this way, 25 by more than 15 minutes – an average of 0.03 minutes per arrival.

What caused the ATFM delay

  • other80%
  • weather19%
  • accident/incident2%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Worst days: 13 May 2025 – 392 minutes, mostly other; 27 December 2025 – 167 minutes, mostly weather; 11 September 2025 – 112 minutes, mostly other.

2026 so far (to 30 September 2026): 28,620 arrivals, 0.08 minutes of ATFM delay per arrival (worse than 2025), mainly industrial action (ATC) (74%) and ATC capacity (17%).

Air traffic control strike days recorded for CRL since 2024: 1 June 2026 (1,006 min); 2 June 2026 (739 min).

Check what happened at CRL on your travel day →

What this means for a claim: ATFM delays come from weather (19% here), air traffic control capacity and staffing (0%) or airport limits – causes airlines often cite as extraordinary circumstances. They are only part of the story: most long delays come from the airline’s own operation (technical faults, crew, late inbound aircraft), which this data does not show. Source: EUROCONTROL.

Other routes from these airports

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Porto–Brussels flight?

The great-circle distance is 1,440 km. From Porto: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). From Brussels: €250 per passenger (EU261, any airline). The delay at your final destination must be 3 hours or more, and the airline must not be able to prove extraordinary circumstances.

Is a Porto–Brussels flight covered if the airline is not European?

Yes. Both airports apply EU261 (or UK261) to every departing flight, so the airline’s nationality does not matter in either direction.

What if the flight was cancelled?

You can choose a refund or re-routing, get care while you wait, and – unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – fixed compensation. Cancelled flight compensation.

Passenger numbers: Eurostat 2024 (passengers carried between the two airports, both directions). Delay data: EUROCONTROL. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  2. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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