EU air passenger rights reform: compensation retained for three-hour delay

EU member states agreed on Friday to reform air passenger rights, which addresses compensation for cancelled and delayed flights, seating rules, and baggage. The compromise solution maintains the current system under which compensation is paid for delays of three or more hours.

EU member states reached agreement on Friday on a comprehensive reform of air passenger rights. The compromise solution affects both the conditions for payment of compensation and the rules governing airline seating and baggage.

One of the most important decisions is that the adopted reform maintains the current compensation system: passengers are entitled to compensation if a flight is delayed by three hours or more. This means there will be no significant change for passengers on this issue.

The reform also addresses how easily passengers can submit claims for cancelled or delayed flights, and the rules governing airline seating and baggage. More detailed procedural changes must still go through the formal approval procedures in EU institutions.

Passenger rights have been protected in the EU since 2004, when Regulation 261/2004 came into force. Since then, the aviation sector has changed considerably, and the purpose of the reform is to update the rules in light of both passenger and airline interests.