Clearer obligations for airlines, specific refund deadlines and additional protection in the event of delays and cancellations are provided for in the revised European Passenger Rights Framework.
Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 has applied since 23 October 2027 and covers issues ranging from compensation and finding an alternative flight to carrying baggage, correcting names, and serving families and passengers with disabilities.
The new framework combines additional safeguards with the preservation and clarification of existing rights. Compensations, for example, remain at €250, €400 and €600, depending on the distance of the trip.
Particular emphasis is placed on the traveller's choices when their flight is disrupted, the care obligations during the wait, and the procedures for claiming money. The 25 key points are as follows:
1. Compensation for delay in final destination
A right to compensation is expressly provided for when the passenger arrives at his final destination with a delay of more than three hours, under the conditions of the regulation. The time of arrival is crucial, not just the delay during departure.
2. Three categories of compensation
The compensation amounts to €250 for journeys of up to 1,500 kilometres, €400 for intra-EU journeys of more than 1,500 kilometres and for other journeys between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres. For the rest of the longer routes, €600 are provided.
3. Refundable in five hours
When the departure delay reaches five hours, the airline must offer the passenger the option of a refund instead of continuing the journey.
4. Refund within seven days
If a refund is selected, payment must be made automatically within seven calendar days. The full price of the ticket and, where applicable, the mediation fees are covered.
5. Voucher only with the passenger's consent
The airline may offer a voucher instead of money, but it needs explicit acceptance from the traveller. The voucher cannot be the default solution, nor can the refund process be made more difficult to discourage the passenger.
6. Refund of unused voucher balance
The validity of the voucher is normally up to 12 months, with the possibility of an extension upon agreement. If it expires without being fully used, the balance is automatically refunded, within seven days at the latest.
7. Three-hour deadline for alternative transport
When the passenger chooses to continue the journey after a disruption, the company must offer him an alternative flight or other means of transport under comparable conditions. If he does not do so within three hours, the traveller's ability to organize his movement himself is activated.
8. Booking another flight by the passenger himself
After the deadline, the traveller can secure an alternative transfer by informing the company. The costs must be necessary, reasonable and appropriate. Their refund is expected within 14 days, with a maximum of 400% of the full ticket price and the relevant mediation fees.
9. Basic care conditions on board the aircraft
When the plane remains on the ground with passengers in the cabin, the company must ensure adequate heating or cooling, access to toilets and, as a rule, free drinking water.
10. Possibility to disembark after two hours
If the waiting time inside the aircraft on the ground reaches two hours at an airport of a Member State, it is planned to move it to a gate or other suitable point for disembarkation. The relevant security restrictions remain in place.
11. Specific food and drink intervals
As part of the care obligation, free light food and drinks are provided for every two hours of waiting. Lunch is provided after three hours and then every five hours, with a maximum of three meals per day.
12. Internet access and telephone communication
Passenger assistance explicitly includes internet access and two phone calls.
13. Hotel and Transportation When Overnight Stay Required
If the disruption requires a stay of one or more nights until the flight or alternative transportation, the company must offer free accommodation. Moving between the airport and the hotel is also covered.
14. Limit of overnight stays in extraordinary circumstances
In unavoidable emergencies, hotel coverage may be limited to three nights. Special treatment is provided for vulnerable categories, such as people with disabilities or reduced mobility, unaccompanied minors, infants, pregnant women and, under certain conditions, passengers requiring special medical assistance.
15. A personal item free of charge
The passenger is entitled to carry a personal item in the cabin free of charge. This is baggage with a maximum dimension of 40 × 30 × 15 centimeters or an item that fits under the front seat.
16. Transparency in cabin baggage charges
Free carry-on luggage is not necessarily established on all fares. Before the booking begins, however, a fare that includes hand luggage must be displayed by default to facilitate price comparisons. If permitted carry-on baggage is compulsorily carried in the hold due to lack of space or change of aircraft, no additional charge is allowed.
17. Free Name Correction
The company must correct spelling mistakes in the name free of charge, at least once, or carry out its intended administrative update. The request must be submitted no later than 48 hours before the scheduled departure. The setting does not allow a change of passenger or transfer of the ticket.
18. Refund of part of the fare for downgrading
Placing a passenger in a higher class does not incur an additional charge. On the contrary, if it is transferred to a lower category than the one it paid, an automatic refund is provided within 14 days. The amount corresponds to at least 30% of the flight price for routes up to 1,500 kilometers, 50% for most intermediate classes and 75% for longer flights.
19. Nine months for a claim for compensation
The passenger has nine months from the indicated date of departure to submit a claim for compensation. The company must immediately confirm receipt and, within 30 calendar days, either pay the amount or justify its refusal.
20. Deadlines for complaints and replies
Airlines and intermediaries are required to have a complaint-handling mechanism in place. A complaint can be made within 12 months of the flight or its scheduled date, or within three months of a claim for compensation, whichever is later. Receipt is confirmed in seven working days and the documented response is given within one month. In specially justified cases, the final answer can be given up to two months.
21. Εναλλακτική μεταφορά για χαμένη ανταπόκριση
If the passenger misses a connection due to a problem on the previous flight, the company must arrange another flight or other means of transport. If no solution is found within five hours, a refund must be offered. A delay of more than three hours at the final destination may give rise to a right to compensation.
22. Escorts and children in adjacent seats
An adjacent seat is provided at no extra charge for the accompanying child, as long as they travel under the same transport contract. If there are no adjacent seats available, the company should try to place them together.
23. Use of a stroller until boarding
Infants and children can use their stroller free of charge up to the gate or door of the aircraft. Priority boarding is also provided to the child with a stroller and his/her companion.
24. Enhanced care for passengers with disabilities
The information must be made available in an accessible format. In the event of a disruption, passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility are entitled to special care and faster service. When finding an alternative route, additional connections should be avoided where possible.
25. Free water and charging points at airports
EU airports with commercial passenger traffic must have free drinking water and charging stations for electronic devices. Access must be ensured regardless of the time, flight or terminal.
At the same time, the invocation of "extraordinary circumstances" is not enough in itself to exempt a company from the obligation to compensate. It must prove that the extraordinary event is directly related to the disturbance and that it could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
The implementation of the revised framework starts on 23 October 2027. Until then, passengers continue to be protected by the existing rights regime.
