646 members of parliament voted in favor of the bill, while 12 voted against it.
The main change concerns compensation. According to Euronews, passengers will still be eligible for compensation if a flight is delayed by three hours or more. Compensation will amount to 300 euros for flights longer than 3,500 km and 600 euros if the delay exceeds four hours or the flight is canceled.
It will be easier to receive compensation. Passengers have nine months to file a claim, and airlines have 30 days to pay compensation or prove that the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances.
The right to bring one personal item measuring up to 40×30×15 centimeters into the cabin free of charge remains in effect. At the same time, airlines will be required to immediately display fares that include carry-on baggage to passengers, including on booking aggregator websites. At the same time, carriers are now permitted to sell cheaper tickets to passengers who voluntarily travel without carry-on luggage.
The new rules also prohibit charging additional fees for correcting errors in a passenger’s name. In addition, during check-in, airlines will be required to automatically issue a digital boarding pass—without requiring passengers to install an app or create an account.
The reform of European air passenger protection rules has been under discussion since 2013. Throughout this time, the European Union has sought to strike a balance between the interests of passengers and airlines, which opposed expanding their obligations.
The new regulations are expected to take effect in 2027.
