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In Europe, flight delays have grown faster (82.7 per cent) than air traffic itself (11.5 per cent) since 2015, at an estimated cost of 17.5 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
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Meanwhile, travellers have struggled to enforce their rights since Regulation 261 on air passenger protection came into force in 2004.
Now EU lawmakers have found a way out.
In a final bid to reach common ground, on 15 June the European Council and the European Parliament agreed to grant air passengers stronger rights following the Commission’s 2013 revision proposal.
But the reform did not come out of nowhere. Consumer organisations have complained about unfair fees and how airlines apply and sometimes ignore passengers’ rights. The European Consumer Association (BEUC) reports that only 38 per cent of eligible passengers benefit from their rights.
The Council tried to water down protections, but MEPs secured the current right to compensation of €250-€600 for flights delayed by more than three hours. New rights include banning fees for correcting name-spelling errors and free seating for children under 14 and passengers with disabilities. Airlines must now include the cost of a trolley bag in the ticket’s basic fare to ensure price transparency.
The old rules will remain in place until the new protections take effect in mid-2027.
Do you want to know more about your new rights as an air passenger? Ask the Euronews AI chatbot!