On the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights and Regulation (EC) No 2027/97 on air carrier liability in respect of the carriage of passengers and their baggage by air
A-10-2026-0191
European Parliament delegation to the Conciliation Committee · Rapporteur: Roberta Metsola
- Voted on · Adopted 646–12–3 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2013/0072
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament approves the joint text amending EU rules on air passenger rights, covering compensation for delays, cancellations, denied boarding, and assistance for disabled passengers and unaccompanied minors.¶¶¶ The amended regulation introduces rules on hand baggage pricing, information on compensation rights, free seating for children, and bans on fees for name corrections and no-show policies.¶¶¶ It also creates a Union Air Passenger Rights Label, clarifies voucher rules, and ensures compensation for multiple disruptions and diversions.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Parliament delegation to the Conciliation Committee recommends approving the joint text at third reading.¶
Key points
- Maintains the existing three-hour delay threshold and compensation amounts of 250, 400, and 600 Euro depending on flight distances.¶
- Introduces a non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances, requiring airlines to inform passengers of the specific circumstance cited.¶¶
- Requires airfare offers to include a piece of hand baggage in the price by default, alongside a personal item.¶
- Airlines must digitally inform each passenger of their potential right to compensation and how to claim it after a disruption.¶
- Children under 14 must be seated next to their parents free of charge; strollers can be used up to the aircraft door.¶
- Persons with disabilities or reduced mobility and unaccompanied minors get compensation for missed connections due to failure to provide assistance.¶
- Passengers can choose digital or physical boarding passes free of charge; airlines cannot require an app or user account.¶
- Creates a Union Air Passenger Rights Label for journeys by Union carriers, with a review clause on extending scope to non-Union carriers.¶¶
- Name corrections are free if requested at least 48 hours before the journey; no-show policies that deny boarding on return flights are banned.¶¶
- Passengers can receive compensation for multiple disruptions, and vouchers must be voluntary with remaining amounts refunded after expiry.¶¶
- Passengers may bring musical instruments on board, including on a seat if needed, and are entitled to additional hand baggage.¶
- Airlines must provide transport to the original airport if diverted, and passengers arriving more than three hours late are entitled to compensation.¶
Who is affected
- Air passengers in the EU: gain clearer rights on compensation, information, hand baggage, seating for children, and assistance for disabilities.¶¶¶
- Air carriers: must comply with new obligations on pricing transparency, information, seating, and no-fee policies.¶
- Persons with disabilities or reduced mobility: entitled to compensation for missed connections and replacement for damaged equipment.¶¶
- Unaccompanied minors: covered by compensation and assistance provisions.
- Passengers with musical instruments: allowed to bring them on board, including on a seat.¶
Figures and deadlines
- 250, 400, and 600 Euro compensation amounts depending on flight distances.¶
- Three-hour delay threshold for compensation.
- Children under 14 must sit next to parents free of charge.¶
- Name corrections free if requested at least 48 hours before the journey.¶
- Passengers arriving more than three hours late at the original airport due to diversion are entitled to compensation.¶
Legal basis: Article 294(13) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶