Council gives final clearance for stronger air passenger rights
The Council gave its final green light on a new law aiming at simplifying, clarifying and strengthening air passenger rights.
The new framework reinforces passenger protection while ensuring a fair balance with airlines’ operational realities. It also helps preserve connectivity across the EU and maintain a level playing field for airlines.
The new rules strengthen passengers' rights by improving compensation, assistance, information, communication with airlines, and rerouting in cases of cancellation and delay. The rules also clarify the definition of extraordinary circumstances and make it easier for passengers to exercise their rights.
They also introduce a series of new rights, such as:
- the prohibition of denying boarding on a return flight because a passenger didn’t take an outbound flight (‘no-show’)
- better price transparency, by displaying air fares including allowance for a piece of hand baggage before the start of any booking process to facilitate fare comparisons between airlines
- specific and reinforced rights for persons with specific needs such as persons with disabilities or reduced mobility, children, unaccompanied minors and pregnant passengers
Next steps
The updated air passenger rules will enter into force 12 months and 20 days after the publication in the Official Journal.