EU reforms airline passenger rights, keeps delay compensation, ends free cabin‑bag guarantee

The European Union has reached a political agreement to reform the regulation governing airline passenger rights, ending a decade‑long stalemate. The deal keeps the existing compensation thresholds for flight delays – €250 to €600 for delays of three hours or more – and maintains the right for families and dependents to sit together without extra charges. Airlines will be required to show ticket prices that include the cost of a standard cabin bag, but they may offer discounts to passengers who travel without it. Free hand‑luggage is no longer guaranteed; only a small personal item that fits under the seat remains charge‑free.

The agreement, approved by the council of the 27 member states, faced opposition from Spain and Latvia and abstentions from Finland and Austria. It now awaits a vote by the European Parliament’s conciliation committee, after which it will take effect twelve months later. MEP Andrey Novakov welcomed the outcome, saying “Se mantiene el límite de 3 horas. Se mantiene la compensación. Se añaden nuevos derechos”, while Green MEP Virginijus Sinkevicius praised the clarity it brings to passenger rights.