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EU Keeps Three‑Hour Flight Compensation in Negotiated Deal

Preserving current payouts, the deal adds clearer price and claims rules and now awaits formal ratification by Parliament and member states.

Overview

  • Negotiators reached the compromise on Friday that keeps the three‑hour delay threshold and the distance‑based compensation amounts of €250, €400 and €600.
  • The package requires airlines to show prices ‘inclusive hand luggage’, give clearer information on how to claim compensation, and ban fees for parents who book seats next to their children.
  • Passengers will be able to correct name errors on tickets without extra charges, but the Parliament dropped its demand for a guaranteed free small cabin bag.
  • The time limit to file a compensation claim is shortened from 12 months to nine months, and airlines will have 12 months after formal adoption to implement the new rules.
  • The deal closes a long run of talks that began with a 2013 Commission proposal and reflects compromises between consumer‑friendly MEPs and member states responding to airlines’ cost concerns.