After more than a decade of stalled negotiations, the European Union has finalised a comprehensive reform of air passenger rights. The European Parliament approved the deal on 7 July with an overwhelming majority (646 to 12), and the Council followed on 13 July. The new rules will take effect across the bloc from mid-2027, replacing the current Regulation EC 261 that has been in place since 2004.
The reform addresses a persistent gap: while the old regulation promised strong protections on paper, passengers often struggled to enforce them. A survey by AirHelp found that 79 per cent of travellers do not know their rights, and the European Consumer Association (BEUC) reports that only 38 per cent of eligible passengers actually claim compensation. BEUC's Aviation and Rail Policy Officer Kristína Gírethová noted that airlines are sitting on roughly €3.2 billion in unpaid compensation for delays. “This is money that could have been claimed, but was not, either because people are unaware or the procedure is difficult,” she said.
Core Rights Preserved, Access Improved
MEPs successfully defended the existing compensation thresholds: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km, and €600 for longer journeys. These amounts remain unchanged, but the process for claiming them will be transformed. Airlines must now electronically inform passengers within four days of a disruption, provide standardised EU-wide claim forms (or their own equivalent), and allow a nine-month window to submit claims by post or online. Payment or a justified rejection must occur within 30 days.
Andrey Novakov, the European People's Party MEP who served as rapporteur, emphasised the shift in responsibility: “We changed not only the rights, but the way we implement them. From having an improvement on paper, to receiving compensation in your pocket, we provide a procedure which is made to facilitate passengers to get compensation.” He added that the reform makes compensation “a cost for the airlines. They must pay what they avoided somehow in the past.”
The rules also clarify assistance during delays: refreshments every two hours, a meal after three hours, and an overnight stay of up to three nights for long disruptions. If the airline fails to provide this, passengers can seek reimbursement.
New Protections for Vulnerable Travellers
Several new provisions target specific groups. Children under 14, pregnant women, and people with reduced mobility (PRM) must be seated next to their accompanying persons free of charge. PRM passengers who miss a flight due to airport services or infrastructure are entitled to compensation, rerouting, and assistance from the airline.
Hidden fees are also banned: airlines can no longer charge extra for correcting a name error or for requesting a printed boarding pass after digital check-in. Passengers can obtain a digital boarding pass without creating an account, and they are not required to pay for a return flight if they skip the outbound leg—a practice known as “no-show” flights. For bookings made through third parties, full refunds (including intermediary fees) must be issued within seven days of a cancellation.
Novakov described the shift in philosophy: “Currently, passengers are a product... Now, we made them human. It's all about the passengers and the way they travel, with dignity.” He stressed that the regulation is not anti-airline, as MEPs “listened to their needs.”
Industry Concerns and Enforcement Gaps
Not everyone is satisfied. Neva Sadikoglu-Novaky, Director of EU Affairs at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), argued that the EU paid “insufficient attention to some of the structural causes” of delays, particularly air traffic management. She called for more focus on improving European air traffic control, a key factor behind the 82.7 per cent rise in delays between 2015 and 2025, even as traffic grew only 11.5 per cent.
The reform codifies existing case law into hard law, as Gírethová noted: “Many of these rules were part of the judges’ decisions, but now it has made its way into the regulation.” However, enforcement remains a challenge. National Enforcement Bodies (NEBs) will still handle complaints, and their inconsistent track record has left many passengers without recourse. The new rules aim to reduce that burden by shifting more responsibility onto airlines to proactively inform and compensate travellers.
For those planning to travel by rail instead, the Eurail and Interrail passes offer an alternative way to explore the continent, with their own set of passenger protections.
The reform is a significant step, but its success will depend on how rigorously it is enforced across the EU's 27 member states, as well as in the wider European aviation market including the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and the Balkans. For now, passengers can look forward to a system that, at least on paper, puts their rights front and centre.
