✈️ On 15 June, the European Parliament and the Council reached a long-awaited agreement on the revision of the Air Passenger Rights Regulation. After 13 years of deadlock, negotiations finally delivered a breakthrough. The agreed rules preserve existing passenger protections while introducing several important new rights for air travellers.
While the final text does not address all the issues we advocated for, the agreement represents a significant step forward for air passengers across Europe – an outcome the European Passengers’ Federation has fought hard to achieve alongside partners including BEUC, Euroconsumers, and the European Disability Forum. We also thank the European Parliament for its continued commitment to defending citizens’ rights throughout the negotiations.
Key highlights include:
✅ Existing compensation standards and eligibility thresholds are maintained.
✅ Airlines must inform about causes of delays & cancellations, passenger rights, and compensation, within 96h.
✅ The definition of “extraordinary circumstances” is clarified in line with the case law of the European Court of Justice.
✅ “No-show” clauses, penalising passengers who miss the outbound leg of a return journey, are banned.
✅ Families travelling with children up to the age of 14 will be entitled to sit together free of charge.
✅ Airlines will no longer be allowed to charge extra for paper boarding passes.
✅ Fare transparency is strengthened, with hand luggage fees required to be displayed upfront.
✅ Protections for passengers with reduced mobility are reinforced.
⚖️ More good news followed on 25 June, when the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on new rules to strengthen the enforcement of passenger rights across the EU for all modes of transport.
The main improvements include:
✅ Clearer reimbursement rules for airline tickets booked through intermediaries.
✅ A companion for passengers with reduced mobility will travel free of charge where required.
✅ Standardised forms for reimbursement and compensation claims.
✅ Stronger powers for national enforcement bodies.
✅ Service quality standards related to the rights of persons with reduced mobility or disabilities.
Stay informed!