EU finalises airline passenger compensation package

EU negotiators have reached a compromise on airline passenger rights that keeps compensation amounts up to €600 for long‑delay flights and cancellations. The scheme retains the current three‑hour threshold and specifies payouts of €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500‑3,500 km, €300 for delays of three to four hours on flights over 3,500 km, and €600 for delays over four hours or cancellations.

Airlines will be required to send passengers a link to a claim form within 48 hours of a delayed or cancelled arrival, using a durable medium such as email, and must explain the reason for the disruption, including any extraordinary circumstances claimed as an exemption. Claimants will have 30 days for airlines to pay or justify a refusal, with possible extensions for paper submissions. The proposal also mandates that ticket prices display hand‑baggage costs, allowing passengers to opt out of trolley‑bag carriage for a discount. The final agreement is to be reviewed by the ambassadors of member states and then by a joint EU committee, with a deadline for adoption by 15 June.