Key facts
- Air travellers will continue to receive free cabin luggage and financial compensation for flight delays of at least three hours.
- The European Council and European Parliament reached an agreement after over a decade of negotiations.
- Airlines will be required to include a personal item and a small wheeled suitcase within the standard ticket price.
- Passengers can opt out of a larger carry-on suitcase for a reduced fare.
- The new rules aim to standardize passenger rights across the EU and are expected to take effect in 2027.
After more than a decade of negotiations, the European Council and the European Parliament have reached an agreement to preserve free cabin luggage and financial compensation for delayed flights under the EU's air passenger rights regulations. The deal, set to take effect in 2027, aims to standardize passenger protections across the bloc.
The new rules will ensure that air travellers continue to benefit from free cabin luggage, including a personal item and a small wheeled suitcase, bundled into the standard ticket price. Airlines that currently charge extra for overhead bags, such as low-cost carriers Ryanair and EasyJet, will need to adjust their pricing models. Passengers who opt not to bring a larger suitcase will be able to receive a reduced fare.
Financial compensation for flight delays of at least three hours will also be maintained, a key demand from the European Parliament that faced resistance from some EU countries. While current compensation ranges from €250 to €600, the revised text specifies payments of €300 for flights over 3,500 kilometers and €600 for delays exceeding four hours or cancellations. This maintains predictability for passengers, as the fees have remained largely unchanged for nearly two decades.
The revision of the passenger protection regulation, initiated in 2013, became necessary due to the significant boom in air passenger traffic. MEP Virginijus Sinkevičius noted that Ryanair's passenger numbers have increased nearly eightfold since the original law was adopted in 2004. Airlines had lobbied for extended delay thresholds and resisted expanded baggage rights, citing operational challenges and financial pressures, including rising jet fuel costs. However, the EU Parliament ultimately prevailed in maintaining the three-hour delay threshold and ensuring free cabin baggage.