EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Jitzikostas pushes landmark passenger‑rights overhaul

Apostolos Jitzikostas, the European Union’s Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, announced in a plenary session of the European Parliament that the EU’s passenger‑rights rules for air travel are being revised for the first time in more than two decades. The new framework will become immediately binding EU law and is described as the strongest set of rights for air passengers worldwide.

The eight key measures include clearer rules for extraordinary circumstances, allowing passengers to refuse to stay on board during prolonged pre‑departure delays, mandatory price transparency for tickets with and without hand luggage, free adjacent seating for parents with children under 14, enhanced protections for travelers with reduced mobility or disabilities, the right to a free return flight if a scheduled flight is missed, immediate information from airlines on how to claim compensation, and a requirement for airlines to improve passenger‑rights information overall.

The reform is intended to benefit EU citizens by providing stronger consumer protection while offering airlines greater predictability in handling cancellations and delays.