Air passenger rights expanded

2026-06-13 09:18:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Good news for those who fly: After years of negotiations, EU and European Parliament representatives agreed on a reform of passenger rights.

For a year now, there has been a heated debate about compensation for flight delays, and some of them seemed to be in jeopardy. Now, the EU Parliament and Council have reached a compromise in favor of flight passengers. The amount of compensation for flight passengers remains unchanged, which means that the current regulation will also apply in the future: Passengers receive compensation of 250 euros for flights up to 1,500 kilometers, 400 euros for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers, and 600 euros for even longer distances.

The reform provides for other passenger rights

The time limits also remain unchanged: compensation is granted when arrival is delayed by more than three hours. This is precisely what some EU member states wanted to change in favor of airlines, where compensation would only be granted for even longer delays. This version was dropped. Furthermore, airlines will have to make it easier for passengers to benefit from these compensations in the future.

The reform provides for more rights in the event of missed connecting flights, better compensation rights in the event of downgrading of the booked class and clear deadlines for airlines in handling compensation claims. Also new: mistakes in names on tickets must be corrected free of charge. Parents are also not allowed to pay extra if they want to sit next to their child.

However, the European Parliament failed to impose the requirement that a small suitcase be taken into the cabin free of charge. More and more airlines are now demanding additional payments for this.

But in future, ticket prices initially displayed on comparison portals should also include hand luggage. This aims to make flight prices fairer, more comparable and more understandable for consumers. According to data from the Presidency of the Council of Cyprus, passengers should no longer be forced to use an app or create an online account to buy their tickets.

EU MEPs express satisfaction

Representatives of the European Parliament have spoken positively after the agreement. CDU MEP Jens Gieseke sees it as a "significant improvement on the status quo" and "above all a clear rejection of the attempt by some member states to weaken passenger rights". According to him, the reform brings more transparency, stronger rights for consumers and better implementation of existing requirements. Jan-Christoph Oetjen, who represents the FDP in the European Parliament, is pleased that in future compensation will become "simpler and more efficient for everyone". The EU Parliament "has successfully defended the rights of air passengers", declares Oetjen.

The new rules could come into effect as early as 2027.

More than twelve years ago, the Commission presented its proposals for a reform of air passenger rights. Negotiations have been ongoing since then, most recently for months in the Conciliation Committee, with sessions lasting up to 17 hours.

The result now needs to be approved by representatives of the Council and Parliament. According to MEPs, Parliament is expected to do so next Monday. After approval by both parties, airlines have one year to implement the new rules./ DW