European Parliament committee votes to update EU air passenger rights rules
European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee voted (13-Jan-2026) to update EU air passenger rights rules, in force since 2004, to ensure that passengers are sufficiently protected against travel disruption such as denied boarding and delayed or cancelled flights. The vote is the draft Parliament response to the European Council's Jun-2025 position on air passenger rights. European members of parliament consider that air passengers should maintain the following rights:
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Reimbursement or rerouting and the ability to claim compensation if a flight is delayed by more than three hours or cancelled, or if the passenger is denied boarding;
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One personal item plus one small piece of cabin luggage for free;
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Complimentary choice of seating for people accompanying children under 14 or persons with reduced mobility;
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Airlines should provide a pre-filled form for compensation and reimbursement.
Background ✨
Airline associations including IATA, Airlines for Europe, and the European Regions Airline Association criticised the committee's vote, arguing that the proposed rules would increase burdens on airlines and fail to address operational realities, such as appropriate compensation thresholds and carry-on luggage restrictions. The groups called for a more balanced and impact-assessed regulation that supports both consumer protection and the viability of European air services1 2.