The Eu Parliament’s Committee on Shipping and Tourism (TRAN) authorized its place on revising and strengthening EU air passenger rights. Those regulations have existed since 2004. The committee voted on January 12, 2026. The measure handed with 36 votes in desire and two abstentions. This vote rejected makes an attempt to weaken the protections. It additionally presented sensible enhancements for vacationers.
The reform addresses problems with flight disruptions, together with delays, cancellations, and denied boarding. In those scenarios, air passengers really feel maximum annoyed. The airline business, however, presses for extra operational flexibility.
Core Protections Stay Intact
The committee rejected proposals from EU ministers (Council place from June 2025). Those proposals aimed to scale back reimbursement ranges or lengthen the extend threshold for payouts.
The 3-hour extend threshold for reimbursement will keep the similar. Repayment quantities will vary between €300 and €600 in line with flight distance. The Council had advised a cap of €500. MEPs referred to as those limits “crimson strains” that will have to now not be crossed.
The Eu Fee proposed limits on airline legal responsibility to scenarios underneath their keep an eye on. It up to date the listing of peculiar cases. Those come with herbal screw ups, battle, serious climate, or positive moves. Such occasions exempt carriers from paying reimbursement. The Parliament insists this listing will have to be exhaustive. The Fee will have to replace it often to supply readability.
Enhanced Help and Air Passenger Strengthen
Airways will supply help all the way through lengthy delays. This contains:
- Refreshments each and every two hours past the scheduled departure.
- A meal after 3 hours.
- Resort lodging. A proposed cap of 3 nights offers airways predictability and bounds prices in excessive instances.
Loose Raise-On Luggage and Sensible Rights
A key component promises loose carry-on luggage. The committee helps the suitable to carry pieces on board at no additional fee. These things come with:
- One private merchandise (purse, backpack, computer, and many others.),
- One small carry-on bag with most blended dimensions of 100 cm and a weight prohibit of seven kg.
Different measures ban additional charges for checking in or correcting spelling mistakes in names. Passengers would possibly select freely between virtual or paper boarding passes.
More potent Safeguards for Susceptible Vacationers
The committee inquisitive about inclusion and accessibility. Susceptible passengers will acquire precedence boarding and higher rights. This staff contains folks with decreased mobility, pregnant girls, households with babies or youngsters underneath 14, and folks touring with strollers.
Partners, together with folks, would possibly sit down subsequent to youngsters underneath 14 or folks with decreased mobility at no additional price. Airports will have to supply well timed help. In the event that they fail and passengers omit flights, the affected vacationers qualify for reimbursement, rerouting, and make stronger.
Sooner and More practical Refunds and Claims
MEPs wish to make the device more uncomplicated to make use of and scale back reliance on claims companies. They name for pre-filled same old paperwork for refund and reimbursement requests. Airways will have to ship those paperwork inside of 48 hours of a disruption. This rule covers each cancellations and lengthy delays, in contrast to the Council’s narrower proposal. Passengers have as much as three hundred and sixty five days to publish claims.
Trade Pushback
The vote drew sharp complaint from airline industry teams. IATA (World Air Shipping Affiliation), A4E (Airways for Europe), and ERA (Eu Areas Airline Affiliation) issued a joint remark. They expressed “deep fear.” They declare the proposals will prohibit client selection, lift price ticket costs, and harm the competitiveness of Eu aviation.
The teams argued that passengers prioritize affordability, punctuality, and choices over upper reimbursement. They famous that the present EU 261/2004 legislation imposes the heaviest burdens on airways globally with out matching advantages. The teams highlighted operational demanding situations. The 3-hour threshold is simply too brief to interchange plane and crews. Additionally, the loss of research totally free carry-on regulations may just build up boarding delays, capability problems, and emissions.
The associations additionally criticized the exhaustive listing of peculiar cases. They claimed it ignores actual protection and potency wishes.
Subsequent Steps
Parliament’s place strikes to the plenary consultation on the finish of January 2026 for ultimate approval. Then, interinstitutional negotiations with the Council and Fee will decide the overall legislation.
This vote indicators Parliament’s decision to offer protection to passengers regardless of business drive. It ends up in a hard and necessary debate on the way forward for air shuttle rights in Europe.
