Air passengers across the EU will soon benefit from simpler, clearer and stronger rights. A landmark agreement reached recently between the Council and the European Parliament updates the EU rules on air passenger rights and airline liability.
European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas has praised the agreement, calling it a historic stride forward for travelers and the first major overhaul of the framework in twenty years.
The deal—negotiated between the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the EU—aims to strengthen consumer protections while providing airlines with a clearer, more predictable operational environment. Tzitzikostas emphasized that the balanced framework simplifies compensation procedures and improves overall transparency without overburdening the aviation industry.
Core changes for air passengers rights in the EU
- Preserved Compensation: Payouts for flight delays exceeding three hours remain intact, ranging from €250 to €600 based on travel distance.
- Right to assistance: in case of a disruption, air passengers are entitled to refreshments every two hours of waiting time;a meal after three hours, and every five hours thereafter (up to three meals per day); internet access and two phone calls.
Where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, passengers should be accommodated in a hotel free of charge and get free transport from the airport to the accommodation and back. - Ban on “No-Show” Penalties: Airlines can no longer cancel a traveler’s return ticket simply because they missed the outbound leg of their trip.
- Fare Transparency: Booking platforms and airlines must provide clear ticket pricing upfront, explicitly highlighting cabin baggage fees.
- Family and Accessibility Protections: Children under 14 are guaranteed adjacent seating with an accompanying adult at no extra cost, and safeguards for passengers with reduced mobility or disabilities have been significantly enhanced.
- Rerouting: Passengers choosing rerouting at the earliest opportunity following a cancellation must be offered an alternative route within three hours. Rerouting must be provided at the airline’s expense and under comparable transport conditions. Passengers should, for example, not be forced to take multiple connecting flights if they booked a direct connection. If an airline fails to offer rerouting within three hours, passengers may organise their own rerouting and claim reimbursement of up to 400% of the original ticket price.
Under the agreement, the Commission will assess within three years whether the scope of the regulation could be revised and possibly extended fully to third-country operators.
While industry groups have warned the rules could inflate costs and limit operational flexibility, Tzitzikostas maintains the policy strikes the right balance between consumer advocacy and sector competitiveness.
Following formal approval from the Council and Parliament, the rules will take effect 12 months after publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Read the full agreement by following the link here
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