Filenews 20 October 2025 - by Theano Thiopoulou
The strict framework for the rights of airline passengers was set last week by the MEPs of the competent Committee on Transport and Tourism. In contrast to the proposal that came from the Council (i.e. from the member states), which was delayed for 11 whole years and included changes in favor of airlines regarding hand luggage and delays, MEPs with 34 votes in favor and two abstentions in the negotiating sessions approved the guidelines on changes to the rights of EU air passengers.
MEPs in the Committee on Transport strongly support the current rules and want to preserve air travellers' rights to a refund or re-routing, as well as to claim compensation in the event of a delay of more than three hours or cancellation of a flight or denied boarding. As for the conditions for activating the compensation, MEPs disagree with the Council's pressure to increase the flight delay period to four or six hours. They want the three-hour flight delay deadline to be maintained regardless of the distance travelled. The distance will only matter for the total compensation that passengers can claim (from 300 to 600 euros), they add. Passengers of cancelled flights or who have been denied boarding will enjoy the same compensation. MEPs support the introduction of a common form for compensation and refund claims. They also want to instruct air carriers to send passengers the pre-filled form or activate alternative automatic communication channels within 48 hours of an outage. Travelers will have one year to submit a claim for compensation. In cases of denied boarding, travellers will receive immediate compensation.
Closed list of exceptions
MEPs propose a defined list of exceptions to these rules, such as natural disasters, war, weather or unforeseen labour disputes (excluding strikes by airline staff), which would exempt airlines from paying compensation. This list is in line with the relevant judgments of the European Court of Justice and will be updated by the Commission by means of delegated acts.
Hand luggage
The negotiating position includes the right to carry on board free of charge a personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop, provided that it fits under the front seat, as well as a small carry-on bag with a maximum dimension of 100 cm (combined length, width and height) and a weight not exceeding 7 kg. Finally, in the event that a piece of luggage is lost, the procedure should be simple for the passenger to register and locate it.
Check-in fees
MEPs in the Committee on Transport want to see the abolition of check-in charges, both online and at the airport, to correct misspellings in passenger names or to allow children under 14 to sit next to their companion. MEPs insist that families sit together, strictly free of charge for seat selection. In addition, passengers should have the right to choose between a paper or a digital boarding pass. The non-negotiable positions of the European Parliament include the possibility for the passenger to have printed the boarding pass - some airlines now charge when there is a print, requiring a Smart phone with the necessary QR code of boarding.
