Overview
- The Parliament approved the conciliation deal on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, with 646 votes in favour and the Council of EU states having already agreed in principle.
- Payout rules for delays remain unchanged with compensation set at €250, €400 or €600 for arrivals three hours or more late depending on distance.
- New consumer protections guarantee free adjacent seats for parents with children under 14 and for people with disabilities and their companions.
- Airlines must notify passengers in writing within 96 hours after travel about how to claim, passengers will have nine months to file claims, and carriers must pay or explain refusals within 30 days.
- The rules apply to flights by EU carriers and any airline departing the EU, define 'extraordinary circumstances' that can exempt carriers, and close a decade-long reform process that began with a 2014 Commission proposal.