MEPs Secure EU Air Rights Deal Preserving 3-Hour Delay Compensation
Updated
Updated · European Parliament · Jun 15
MEPs Secure EU Air Rights Deal Preserving 3-Hour Delay Compensation
3 articles · Updated · European Parliament · Jun 15
Summary
A provisional Parliament-Council deal would keep compensation for flights delayed more than three hours, with payouts set at €250, €400 or €600 depending on distance.
Airlines would have 30 days to pay or explain a refusal, while passengers would get electronic claim instructions within four days and have nine months to file.
Children under 14 would have to be seated next to an accompanying person at no extra charge, and disabled passengers and pregnant women would get the same adjacent-seat protection.
Ticket prices would have to show fares including carry-on luggage at the start of booking, while passengers would gain rights to a free personal item, digital boarding passes and free name-spelling corrections.
The rules, unchanged since 2004, still need formal approval by Parliament and the Council within six weeks, with Parliament aiming for a July vote.
Europe promises easy compensation for flight delays, but what loopholes can airlines still use to avoid paying?
With airlines now paying for delays under new EU rules, will your next flight ticket become more expensive?
Will guaranteed hotel stays cause airlines to cancel flights more often to avoid massive delay costs?
2026 EU Air Passenger Rights Reform: Three-Hour Compensation Rule Survives, Stronger Protections for Vulnerable Groups
Overview
In June 2026, the European Union ended a decade of legislative deadlock by reaching a landmark agreement on air passenger rights. This deal preserves the important three-hour delay compensation threshold, ensuring that travellers continue to receive compensation if their flights are cancelled or delayed beyond this period. The agreement also clarifies and refines existing entitlements, such as requiring airlines to pay €300 for long-distance flights and €600 for delays over four hours or cancellations. These changes aim to strengthen protections for passengers and provide clearer rules for both travellers and airlines across the EU.