The European Parliament has defended the right for air passengers to receive compensation if a flight is delayed by more than three hours, going against a move by EU governments to increase the threshold to at least four hours.

MEPs also insisted that passengers should be allowed to bring on board one personal item and one small piece of hand luggage for free, and that adults accompanying children under 14 or persons with reduced mobility should be able to sit with them at no extra cost.

The position passed with a rare majority involving all political groups, recording 632 votes in favour, 15 against and nine abstentions.

Current EU rules on air passenger rights have been in place since 2004. The European parliament proposed to update them in 2014, but talks with EU governments stalled.

Then last year, EU ministers proposed that compensation be due only after a four-to-six-hour delay, depending on the flight distance, and that cash payments should be between €300 and €500.

At present, 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.

MEPs on Wednesday reiterated their previous position and said there should be “no step back from the current situation”.

They also called for simplifying compensation claims, introducing pre-filled forms, and an end to the additional fees some airlines apply for correcting passenger name errors or for checking in.

While the parliament’s position is supported by consumer groups, the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) warned that it will “significantly squeeze regional airlines and put essential air connectivity across Europe at risk”.

“When compensation can reach two to three times the ticket price, the outcome is not stronger passenger rights but fewer essential air links for islanders, remote regions, and commuters who rely on these services,” said ERA director general Montserrat Barriga.

Reducing delays

Bulgarian MEP Andrey Novakov, who led the talks, said reducing delays has significant overall benefits for Europe’s economy. “Therefore, the three-hour threshold for compensation, the existing compensation levels, pre-filled forms and enforceable safeguards remain our red lines.”

EU governments have four months to update their position, if they wish to. If the Council does not accept the parliament’s amendments, a ‘conciliation committee’ will be established to find an agreement on the final text.