EU Keeps Existing Flight‑Delay Compensation Rules While Adding Airline Notification Duties

The European Union has decided to retain the current compensation framework for flight delays and cancellations. The 3‑hour delay threshold will remain unchanged, and the existing payout levels—€250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km, and €300‑€600 for flights over 3,500 km depending on delay length—will continue to apply.

New obligations will require airlines to send passengers a link to a compensation‑claim form within 48 hours of a delay or cancellation and to provide a detailed explanation of the cause. Carriers seeking exemption on the basis of “extraordinary circumstances” must now substantiate that claim with full justification.

Investors in network carriers such as Air France‑KLM are closely watching the outcome, as the retained compensation levels and added reporting duties could affect operating costs and margin assessments across the EU airline sector.