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Adopted text

Transport: enforcement of passenger rights in the Union

TA-10-2026-0347 · P10_TA(2026)0347 · PE768.111

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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's position at first reading amends five EU passenger rights regulations (air, rail, sea and inland waterway, bus and coach) to strengthen enforcement. It sets rules on reimbursement when a ticket is booked through an intermediary, including the intermediation fee and deadlines. It requires national enforcement bodies to monitor compliance, handle passenger complaints and cooperate across borders, and sets penalties. It introduces a common EU form for reimbursement and compensation requests and rules on personal data retention. It strengthens rights of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, including assistance dogs and service quality standards. The regulation enters into force on the twentieth day after publication and applies from 23 October 2027.

Key points

  1. Intermediaries must tell passengers before booking whether the air carrier processes reimbursement through them and must disclose any intermediation fee.
  2. Where reimbursement goes through an intermediary, the air carrier pays the intermediary within seven calendar days and the intermediary pays the passenger within a further seven days.
  3. If the passenger is not reimbursed within 14 calendar days, the air carrier must contact the passenger and reimburse within seven calendar days of receiving the details.
  4. Autonomous micro-enterprise intermediaries may withhold a specified part of their intermediation fee if they inform the passenger at the start of booking.
  5. Intermediaries must give the air carrier the passenger's contact details and booking details, and must tell the air carrier before booking that they act as an intermediary.
  6. Air carriers and intermediaries may keep passenger data for no longer than 96 hours after the transport contract, longer only where needed for disruption-related obligations.
  7. Member States must designate independent national enforcement bodies with powers to request documents within one month and to take enforcement action.
  8. Member States must designate a body for passenger complaints; passengers may complain within three months of rejection or after two months without reply.
  9. The Commission must adopt a common EU form for reimbursement and compensation requests, available in all official languages and accessible format.
  10. Air carriers and intermediaries may not reject a request because the passenger did not use a specific form or sent it by non-electronic means.
  11. Third-country intermediaries must designate a legal representative in the Union and notify its details to national bodies.
  12. Member States must set effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for infringements and notify the Commission.

Who is affected

  • Air carriers: new reimbursement, data-sharing and complaint-handling duties.
  • Intermediaries: disclosure, reimbursement and legal representative obligations.
  • National enforcement bodies: monitoring, information requests and cross-border cooperation.
  • Persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility: assistance, assistance dogs and accessible information.
  • Member States: designate enforcement and complaint bodies and set penalties.

Figures and deadlines

  • Seven calendar days for the air carrier to reimburse the intermediary.
  • A further seven calendar days for the intermediary to reimburse the passenger.
  • 14 calendar days after which the air carrier must contact the passenger if no reimbursement confirmation.
  • 96 hours after the transport contract as the maximum data retention period.
  • One month to provide documents requested by a national enforcement body.
  • Three months to complain to the body for passenger complaints after rejection.
  • Two months without reply before a passenger may complain to the body for passenger complaints.
  • 23 October 2027: date from which the regulation applies.

Legal basis: Article 91(1) and Article 100(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.