From mid-2027, air passengers in the EU will receive more rights: the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have approved the June agreement strengthening protection for travelers in the event of flight delays and cancellations, Euronews reports.

Members of the European Parliament managed to defend a key requirement: passengers will still receive compensation in the event of a flight delay of at least three hours, its cancellation less than 14 days before departure, or denied boarding. The provisions on reimbursement of the ticket cost or rerouting to another flight in the event of a cancellation were also preserved.

The amount of compensation for delays remains unchanged and depends on the flight distance: €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights from 1,500 to 3,500 km, and €600 for all other longer-distance flights.

The new rules also clearly define passengers’ right to receive drinks every two hours of waiting in the event of schedule disruptions, a hot meal after three hours, as well as hotel accommodation (up to three nights) in the event of long delays. Passengers may claim reimbursement of expenses if the airline does not provide the necessary assistance.

Passengers must now be provided with clear information about their rights in the event of flight disruptions and the reasons for such disruptions. Airlines are required to notify passengers electronically within four days about the procedure for obtaining compensation, offer standardized forms valid throughout the EU (or their own forms), and provide a nine-month period for submitting applications electronically or by mail. Airlines have 30 days to make the payment, justify a refusal or cite extraordinary circumstances, and help passengers complete the entire complaint procedure.

Passengers who buy tickets through intermediaries must receive a full refund within seven days in the event of a flight cancellation, including the intermediary’s commission. Additional fees for correcting name errors or for printing a boarding pass after online check-in are prohibited. Passengers may receive an electronic boarding pass without creating an account and are not required to pay extra for a return flight if they did not use the outbound one.

People with reduced mobility (PRM) will be entitled to compensation, rerouting, and assistance from airlines if they miss a flight because of problems with airport services or infrastructure. Children under 14, pregnant women, and passengers with reduced mobility must be seated next to the persons accompanying them at no additional charge.

Airlines may still refuse to pay compensation if flight disruptions occur for reasons beyond their control. The new rules contain a non-exhaustive list of “extraordinary circumstances,” but air carriers must prove their existence and clearly explain why they are rejecting claims.