MEPs are pushing back against EU governments’ proposed changes to air passenger rights, which would extend the delays after which travellers can claim compensation.

Currently, airlines must compensate travellers for delays of more than three hours on short flights and four hours on long flights, with amounts ranging from €250 to €600 depending on the distance.

In June, EU transport ministers agreed on compensation of €300 for delays of over four hours on journeys under 3,500 km or within the EU, and €500 for delays of over six hours on journeys exceeding 3,500 km — a position supported by the Dutch government.

Consumer groups, however, warned that such changes would effectively remove the right to compensation for many passengers.

On Monday, the European parliament’s transport committee voted almost unanimously to maintain the right to compensation after a three-hour delay, regardless of distance. Compensation would still vary according to distance, between €300 and €600. The same amounts would apply to cancelled flights or denied boarding due to overbooking.

MEPs proposed a list of exceptions in which airlines would not have to compensate travellers. These include natural disasters, war, weather conditions and unforeseen labour disputes — but not strikes by airline staff.

Committee members also called for simpler reimbursement procedures, including the introduction of a common pre-filled form and immediate compensation in cases of denied boarding.

Another contentious issue is carry-on luggage. MEPs want to guarantee passengers the right to take one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop, and one small bag with maximum dimensions of 100 cm (combined length, width and height) and a maximum weight of 7 kg, free of charge.

They also want to end fees for check-in, correcting name spelling errors, or ensuring that children under 14 can sit next to their accompanying adult. Airlines would also have to continue offering paper boarding passes as an alternative to digital ones.

In a rare show of unity, all MEPs involved in the negotiations took part in a press conference on Monday evening.

Shorter delays

Bulgarian MEP Andrey Novakov, who is leading the talks, said they have several issues on which they will not budge. “We are not going to accept more than three hours of delay … especially when there are no extraordinary circumstances,” he said.

“Second, we are going to fight for parents not to pay to sit next to their child. And we’re going to fight to protect passengers’ rights when it comes to hand luggage — to make clear that hand luggage is included in the ticket price.”

He added that no longer accepting paper boarding passes “means that those passengers, no matter how many they are, who are not able to have a cell phone or capable of displaying QR codes, are not able to fly or to be on time at the airport or have to pay for check-in. This is not going to be accepted anymore.”

Unrealistic

Airlines for Europe (A4E), the group representing the industry in Brussels, said such rules on compensation and cabin baggage would be “unrealistic”.

“Political calls to impose ‘free’ cabin bags are entirely out of sync with passenger preferences. A recent survey confirmed that lower fares and the option to choose extra bags were more popular among passengers than higher fares with an additional bag included,” the group said in a statement.

For the new rules to be adopted, parliament and council must agree on the final text. Negotiations will begin on Wednesday and are expected to be completed within four months, after which the new measures will be published and take effect.