EPF, together with other organisations defending passenger and consumer rights across Europe, has co-signed an open letter to MEPs, calling on them to reject the Council’s proposed revision of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 on air passengers’ rights.

The letter warns that the Council’s proposal would undo more than twenty years of progress in protecting consumers. It introduces confusing and contradictory rules that could weaken legal certainty and breach the European Union’s duty, under Article 169 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to ensure a high level of consumer protection. It would also undermine the clarity built through many years of decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union and could lead to long and costly legal disputes.

Together, the signatories urge MEPs to stand firm and defend passengers by keeping Europe’s air travel rights simple, fair, and effective. The open letter calls for:

  • Maintaining the 3-hour compensation threshold, which has served travellers well for decades. Raising it would mean longer delays and up to 60% fewer passengers eligible for compensation.

  • Closing legal loopholes rather than expanding them. Redefining “extraordinary circumstances” to include routine issues like technical failures, strikes, or crew sickness contradicts existing EU case law.

  • Adjusting compensation levels in line with inflation, rather than cutting them by up to 25%.

  • Rejecting the proposed 6-month claim deadline, which would severely limit passengers’ ability to seek redress, especially for vulnerable travellers.

  • Preventing excessive hand-luggage fees, as protecting only very small personal items undermines the dignity and practicality of air travel.

As the letter states, “Air passenger rights are not a privilege; they are a promise.” Now is not the time to weaken one of the European Union’s most visible and successful achievements. We urge the European Parliament to preserve what works and to defend Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, so that air passengers across Europe continue to enjoy strong and dependable rights.

👉 Read the full open letter here

👉 More information about the campaign here: Say No to Worse Passenger Rights