European Parliament adopts updated rules on air passenger rights

On Tuesday, 7 July, Members of the European Parliament confirmed changes to the rules on air passenger rights, agreed with the Council of the EU in the Conciliation Committee, with 646 votes in favor, 12 against, and three abstentions, according to a press release from the European Parliament.

Securing existing rights

MEPs managed to defend the core passenger right to a refund or rerouting in the event of a flight cancellation. Passengers will also continue to be able to claim compensation for delays exceeding three hours, if a flight is canceled less than 14 days in advance, or if they are denied boarding. Compensation levels for delays or canceled flights remain unchanged and will depend on flight distance: €250 for journeys up to 1,500 km, €400 for intra-EU journeys over 1,500 km and all other journeys between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and €600 for all other longer flights. Airlines will have the option to reduce compensation by 50% for their longest flights if passengers are offered rerouting to their final destination following a travel disruption or if the arrival delay does not exceed four hours.

Airlines will be able to avoid paying compensation if the delay or cancellation is caused by events beyond their control. The new rules will feature an open list of these extraordinary circumstances, including natural disasters, war, weather conditions, unruly passengers, or strikes by airport, air navigation, or ground handling service providers.

In all cases, airlines will remain obligated to care for passengers, including providing refreshments every two hours of waiting, meals after three hours, and, if necessary during long delays, overnight accommodation (up to three nights if the disruption is beyond the airline's control).

Simpler and faster process for payouts and compensation

MEPs insisted that the compensation process become faster and easier. Passengers who opt for reimbursement instead of rerouting will receive it automatically, while passengers facing travel disruptions will receive clear instructions on how to submit a compensation claim within four days of completing their journey. MEPs ensured that passengers will not be required to have a user account or a dedicated app to receive this information. Passengers will have nine months to submit a compensation claim, while airlines will have 30 days to pay the compensation or invoke extraordinary circumstances, explain why compensation will not be paid, and direct passengers to grievance resolution steps.

Additional passenger rights

Air passengers will be able to board their return flight with a round-trip ticket even if they did not use the outbound leg, at no extra charge.

The new rules now include the right to bring one personal item on board free of charge, such as a small bag or backpack. To improve price transparency and comparability, MEPs insisted on obligating airlines, intermediaries, and search engines to always display airfares inclusive of cabin baggage at the start of the booking process. Airlines may offer cheaper tickets to passengers who choose to travel without cabin baggage, according to the text.

Air passengers will no longer be charged additional fees for correcting spelling errors in their names or for a printed version of their boarding pass if they have already checked in. MEPs also secured the right for passengers to receive boarding passes digitally upon check-in, without any further requirement or obligation to have a user account or a dedicated app. Furthermore, passengers will not be denied boarding on the grounds that they used their own printed version of a digitally issued boarding pass.

Protection of vulnerable passengers

MEPs ensured that passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility will have the right to reimbursement, rerouting, and assistance from airlines if they miss a flight because the airport failed to assist them in reaching the gate on time. They also ensured that families with children are not separated in seating, obligating airlines to seat any person accompanying a child under 14 years of age in an adjacent seat without additional payment. The same right will apply to passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility, as well as pregnant women.

Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens, LT): "We have good news for everyone who flies. We worked hard to ensure that passengers do not lose rights they already had, while providing better protection for families, persons with reduced mobility, and others who need it most."

Rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG): "Today’s vote is a victory—both for passengers and for European aviation. After more than 13 years of deadlock, we are finally replacing uncertainty with clear rules, stronger rights, and confidence. When people take a flight, their rights will not be ignored on the ground."

Next steps

Under the third-reading procedure, once Parliament approves the provisional agreement reached in the Conciliation Committee, the Council will have to confirm it by early August 2026. The updated rules will enter into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the EU. From that moment, EU countries and companies will have one year to prepare for their implementation.

Source and photo: European Parliament