BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – The European Union has sanctioned a comprehensive update to passenger rights related to air travel, covering delays, cancellations, baggage, and denied boarding. The Council of the European Union finalized the legislative process on July 13, 2026. The European Parliament approved the agreement six days earlier. The vote concluded with 646 votes in favor, 12 against, and three abstentions. This new regulation signifies the first major overhaul of EU air travel protections in over twenty years.
Passengers will continue to have the right to compensation if their flights arrive more than three hours late. The protections also apply to cancellations announced fewer than 14 days prior to departure. Passengers who are denied boarding can also be eligible under these provisions. Compensation amounts are set at €250 for flights up to 1,500 kilometres. For longer intra-EU routes and journeys up to 3,500 kilometres, the amount increases to €400. Flights exceeding this distance may entitle travelers to €600 in compensation.
Airlines are permitted to reduce compensation by 50% on the longest routes if rerouted passengers arrive within four hours of the scheduled time. They can deny claims when extraordinary circumstances cause the disruption. Such circumstances include severe weather, natural calamities, conflict, unruly passengers, and certain external strikes. Airlines must still provide care during covered disruptions, including refreshments, meals, internet access, two phone calls, and necessary hotel accommodations.
Streamlined claims process introduced
The regulation establishes a quicker, more organized process for handling claims from affected travelers. Airlines are required to send claim instructions electronically within four days after the trip concludes. Passengers have nine months to submit their compensation requests. Carriers must acknowledge each claim promptly and either pay or provide a detailed refusal within 30 days. A refusal must also specify how the passenger can challenge the decision.
Airlines must offer rerouting at the earliest possible opportunity, which may involve another airline or suitable ground transport. If no suitable options are available within three hours, passengers are permitted to arrange their own travel. They may request reimbursement up to four times the original ticket price. Airlines are obliged to provide comparable travel conditions and avoid unnecessary connections. Additionally, they must reimburse reasonable care expenses within 14 calendar days.
Enhanced baggage and seating rights
All passengers will have the right to carry one personal item free of charge, such as a small backpack, handbag, or laptop bag. Booking platforms must display fares that include a hand baggage allowance first. Airlines may still offer lower-cost tickets without this allowance. Carriers are prohibited from canceling a return booking solely because the outbound flight was missed. They also cannot charge passengers for correcting simple spelling errors in names.
Families with children under 14 will be provided with adjacent seats at no extra cost. The rules also enhance assistance for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility, and expand protections for mobility equipment, pregnant travelers, and unaccompanied minors. EU passenger rights apply to flights within the bloc, departures from EU airports, and arrivals operated by EU airlines. The regulation will take effect 12 months and 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.