Overview
- Negotiators reached a political agreement in mid‑June that keeps existing delay payouts of €250, €400 and €600 for arrivals delayed three hours or more and rejects proposals to raise the threshold or cut sums.
- The deal requires ticket search results to show a default price that includes hand luggage so consumers can compare fares without hidden baggage fees.
- New passenger protections include free seat placement for minor children next to parents, guaranteed assistance for people with reduced mobility, free correction of name typos and a rule allowing musicians to bring instruments into the cabin.
- The text codifies examples of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ that exempt airlines from liability, sets procedural limits such as a nine‑month window to file claims and obliges airlines to inform passengers in writing about their rights within 96 hours.
- The agreement still needs formal approval by the Council and Parliament and then a 12‑month implementation period; consumer groups warn unresolved technical points — reimbursement caps for replacement travel and weak insolvency protection — could leave low‑fare travellers exposed.