European Parliament approves stronger air passenger rights rules

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved updated air passenger rights regulations aimed at making compensation procedures faster, ensuring free child seating, and requiring airlines to include carry-on baggage fees in ticket prices.

The new rules, agreed with the EU Council, were approved by lawmakers in a vote of 646-12 with three abstentions.

The legislation, which has been in force since 2004, is designed to strengthen protections for passengers facing travel disruptions, including delayed or cancelled flights or denied boarding.

Under the revised rules, passengers will continue to have the right to reimbursement or rerouting in case of cancellations and will remain eligible for compensation for delays exceeding three hours, cancellations announced less than 14 days before departure, and denied boarding.

Passengers will receive €250 ($285) for flights up to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles), €400 for intra-EU flights exceeding 1,500 km and other journeys between 1,500 and 3,500 km (91,864 mi), and €600 for longer flights.

The updated rules introduce a simpler reimbursement and compensation system.

Passengers will have nine months to submit compensation requests, while airlines will have 30 days to either pay compensation or explain why a claim is rejected and inform passengers about complaint procedures.

The rules also introduce new rights for travelers, including allowing passengers with return tickets to take their return flight even if they missed the outbound flight, without additional charges.

Airlines will be required to include the cost of carry-on luggage in displayed fares at the beginning of the booking process.

Passengers choosing to travel without hand luggage may still be offered lower fares.

Additional charges for correcting minor name spelling mistakes or receiving a printed boarding pass after check-in will no longer be allowed.

Passengers will also have the right to receive a digital boarding pass without needing a specific airline application or user account.

The legislation requires airlines to seat a person accompanying a child under 14 years old next to the child without additional fees.