After thirteen years of negotiations, the European institutions reached an agreement on June 15 aimed at strengthening the rights of air travelers. Concluded between the European Parliament and the Member States, the text introduces new obligations for airlines while preserving certain achievements.
Beyond three hours of delay, travelers will continue to be entitled to compensation. However, several proposals aimed to raise this threshold in order to reduce the number of passengers eligible for financial compensation. The agreement ultimately maintains the current system, with compensation reaching several hundred euros depending on the distance traveled.
Simplified complaints procedures
Complaint procedures will also be simplified. Companies must provide passengers with clear information on compensation procedures in the days following travel and respond to a complaint within fourteen days. If they refuse, they will have to justify their decision. The European Union thus wishes to reduce the administrative obstacles which discouraged many travelers from asserting their rights.
The right to rerouting is also reinforced. Companies will be required to offer an alternative solution within three hours following a flight cancellation, otherwise the passenger will be required to organize their own trip and request reimbursement of the costs incurred.
Carriers must also now be more transparent about ticket prices and display a price including hand luggage from the outset. The aim is to make it easier for consumers to compare offers and avoid unpleasant surprises at checkout.
Do not separate children from their parents
Families also benefit from new guarantees. Companies will no longer be able to charge a supplement to allow a parent to sit next to their child under 14 years old. A measure demanded for several years by consumer associations, who denounced certain pricing practices deemed abusive.
The agreement also puts an end to the “no-show” practice. Until now, some companies automatically canceled the return ticket of a passenger who did not use their outbound flight. This possibility will now disappear, allowing travelers to keep their return journey even if they reached their destination by another means or missed their outbound flight.
Finally, people with reduced mobility will benefit from increased protection, particularly regarding travel assistance and care for their specific equipment. Although the text still needs to be definitively adopted before it comes into force, the agreement marks one of the most significant reforms of European passenger rights since the creation of the current framework in the early 2000s.
