EU Changes Rules for Air Passengers: What you Need to Know Bbefore Traveling
The Council of the European Union has officially approved a package of reforms that expands the rights of air passengers. The European Parliament previously supported the document. The new rules are set to come into force in mid-2027 and will apply to all flights departing from airports in EU countries, as well as to flights arriving in the European Union operated by airlines registered in the bloc's countries.
One of the key changes will be the right for children under 14 to sit next to their parents or accompanying persons free of charge. The same right will be granted to pregnant women and passengers with reduced mobility travelling with an escort.
Airlines will also be required to correct errors in the spelling of passengers' names on tickets free of charge. After check-in, passengers will be able to receive printed boarding passes without additional fees.
The new rules also include changes regarding baggage information. Airlines, intermediaries, and ticket booking platforms will be required to display the ticket price together with the cost of carrying hand luggage by default.
Additionally, passengers who miss the first segment of a round-trip ticket will be able to use the return flight without penalties or additional sanctions.
Passengers who are downgraded to a lower class of service than the one booked at the time of ticket purchase due to changes in transport conditions will also receive automatic compensation.
The compensation procedure in the case of flight delays or cancellations will not change significantly. Passengers will be entitled to compensation if the flight is delayed by at least three hours and the airline is responsible. However, carriers will not be liable for incidents related to aggressive passenger behaviour, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, or strikes by airport or ground service workers.
The new rules will also simplify the procedure for submitting compensation claims. Airlines will be required to provide information about passengers' rights in writing within 96 hours after the end of the journey.
As previously reported by the "Judicial-Legal Newspaper", after more than ten years of negotiations, representatives of the European Parliament and the EU Council reached a preliminary agreement on updating the rules for protecting air passenger rights. The final decision must be made by both institutions.
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