In a bid to modernize air travel consumer protections, European lawmakers are advancing the first major update in over a decade to the EU’s Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EC 261/2004).
In June 2025, EU transport ministers reached a political agreement on a revised framework that seeks to establish simpler and clearer rules for air passengers while balancing strong consumer protection with the aviation sector’s operational realities.
TL;DR - EU Passenger Rights 2025
- Delay threshold for compensation raised to 4–6 hours
- New payout amounts: €300 short-haul, €500 long-haul
- Airlines get clearer “extraordinary circumstances” list
- Passengers gain stronger rerouting and care rights
- Proposal faces pushback from consumer groups & MEPs
Jump to: Why Update Now • Key Changes • Industry Impact • Next Steps • FAQ
More on News:
Why Update Passenger Rights Now?
Europe’s current air passenger rights rules have been in place since 2004, and attempts to revise them have stalled for years. A comprehensive reform was first proposed by the European Commission in 2013 but languished amid political deadlock.
Momentum revived in the wake of recent crises – from the COVID-19 pandemic to airline industry upheavals – which highlighted gaps and inconsistencies in how passenger rights are enforced across member states. After 12 years of impasse, EU ministers in June 2025 finally struck agreement on an update, calling it a “historical milestone” given that no deal could be reached for so long.
The Polish Presidency of the EU Council made finalizing the revision a top priority, accelerating negotiations in early 2025. With the Council’s backing secured, the file moved to the European Parliament, which began scrutiny and debate in June and September 2025.
Lawmakers say the reform is needed to clarify rights, improve enforcement, and reflect lessons learned over the past decade – but the proposed changes have also ignited controversy between consumer advocates and the airline industry.
Key Changes in the 2025 Proposal
The revised Regulation 261/2004 would introduce numerous changes affecting air travelers. Below are some of the most significant proposed updates to passenger rights and airline duties:
- Higher delay thresholds for compensation: The draft raises the flight delay time required to qualify for EU compensation. Passengers on flights within Europe or under 3,500 km would be entitled to compensation only after a 4+ hour delay (up from 3 hours), while long-haul flights over 3,500 km would require a 6+ hour delay to trigger compensation. This is a notable increase from the current 3-hour threshold for all flights, effectively limiting eligibility for many moderate delays. For example, a 5-hour delay on a transatlantic flight currently yields €600 in compensation, but under the new rules the same delay would no longer qualify (since it falls below 6 hours).
- Adjusted compensation amounts: The compensation levels would be recalibrated. Short-haul flights (up to 1,500 km) would see payouts rise slightly from €250 to €300 (but only for 4+ hour delays). In contrast, long-haul flights (over 3,500 km) would have payouts reduced from €600 to €500, and only for delays of 6+ hours. Medium-haul flights (~1,500–3,500 km), which currently earn €400 after 3 hours, would be treated like short-haul in the proposal – €300 after 4 hours. Consumer groups warn these changes roll back existing rights: raising the delay threshold means far fewer passengers will receive anything at all, even if the euro amounts for some short flights went up slightly.
- Clarified “extraordinary circumstances”: The reform seeks to end legal ambiguity by defining what counts as “extraordinary circumstances” that excuse airlines from paying compensation. A new annex would list events beyond an airline’s control – for example, severe weather, natural disasters, airspace closures, security risks, or strikes by air traffic controllers or airport staff. Notably, airline-specific issues like unforeseen manufacturer defects or crew illness can also qualify as extraordinary if truly outside the carrier’s control. However, carriers must prove they took all reasonable measures to avoid or mitigate the disruption before claiming an extraordinary circumstance defense. The proposal also limits how broadly this excuse can be used: an airline could only invoke an extraordinary event if it affected the flight in question or one of the three previous flights operated by the same aircraft (with a direct causal link). This prevents airlines from over-using far-removed events to escape liability.
- Stronger rights to rerouting: If a flight is canceled or heavily delayed, passengers would have an explicit “right to be rerouted” at the earliest opportunity, even if it means being placed on a rival airline or another mode of transport. Under the new rules, if the original airline cannot provide a suitable reroute within 3 hours of the disruption, passengers can arrange their own alternative travel and claim reimbursement up to 400% of the original ticket price. This is intended to ensure travelers aren’t left stranded; it effectively caps self-booked replacement costs (airlines argue a 400% cap is very high , but consumer advocates say it must cover worst-case expensive last-minute tickets). The rerouting right also includes up to three nights’ hotel accommodation covered if needed for the new journey.
- Clear assistance obligations: The revision amplifies the right to care during delays. Airlines must offer affected passengers meals, refreshments, and lodging as appropriate for the wait. These obligations existed before, but the new text spells them out more clearly and says if an airline fails to provide care in time, travelers may make their own arrangements (e.g. book a hotel or buy meals) and claim reimbursement later. Importantly, in the case of extended tarmac delays (when passengers are stuck on a plane on the ground), the law would now require airlines to provide minimum amenities (water, access to toilets, etc.) and to disembark passengers after 3 hours waiting on the tarmac. This addresses a previous gap – EU261 had no explicit limit on tarmac delays.
- Streamlined claims and information: The proposal aims to make it easier for consumers to assert their rights. Airlines would be required to proactively inform passengers of their rights at booking and during disruptions, and to provide standard, user-friendly claim forms (including pre-filled forms for compensation when they notify passengers of a cancellation). Passengers would have up to 6 months after a flight issue to submit a claim – a unified window replacing various national deadlines (which currently can range up to 2 years). In turn, airlines face a new deadline to respond: they must pay compensation or give a clear, reasoned reply within 14 days of receiving a claim. This fast-track timeline is meant to prevent carriers from dragging out the process. Overall, the reforms seek to cut red tape so that fewer passengers need to go to court or use intermediaries to get their due.
- “No-show” clause and ticketing changes: A notable addition is aimed at ending the controversial “no-show” policy some airlines use. Under the Council’s text, if a traveler misses the outbound leg of a round-trip and the airline then refuses to carry them on the return leg (effectively canceling the ticket due to no-show), the passenger would now be entitled to compensation for denied boarding. This change is designed to disincentivize airlines from penalizing consumers who don’t utilize one segment of a ticket. The reform also allows minor name corrections on tickets (e.g. fixing spelling errors) for free up to 48 hours before departure , preventing hefty fees for simple mistakes.
- Baggage and carry-on rules: The updated regulation touches on baggage rights as well. It would codify that every passenger can bring at least one small “personal item” (e.g. a handbag or laptop bag ~40×30×15cm) in the cabin at no extra cost. However, the Council’s compromise did not ban fees for larger carry-on bags, effectively allowing airlines to continue charging for standard cabin suitcases beyond the small personal item. This has been contentious – a recent EU court ruling affirmed that reasonable hand luggage is an “essential” part of travel and shouldn’t incur fees, but the new proposal stops short of mandating a free full-size carry-on. Consumer advocates and some countries (Spain, Germany, Portugal among others) opposed this, arguing the EU shouldn’t legitimize charging for carry-on bags. Additionally, the reform strengthens rights regarding lost or damaged baggage and mobility equipment (like wheelchairs), and requires airlines to be more transparent about baggage allowances and any extra charges at the time of booking.
Industry Impact and Reactions
The push to revise EU261 has exposed a tug-of-war between airline interests and consumer rights advocates. Airlines have long complained that Europe’s compensation scheme is among the most generous in the world, arguing that it imposes heavy costs.
By one estimate from the European Commission, carriers would owe €8.1 billion in 2025 to comply with existing passenger rights obligations. Airlines warn that increasing burdens could drive up ticket prices for everyone in the long run. Their lobbying group, Airlines for Europe (A4E), pushed for much higher delay thresholds (5 hours for short flights, 9+ hours for long-haul), claiming that shorter limits lead airlines to cancel flights rather than delay them and cascade disruptions further.
In fact, A4E criticized the June 2025 Council deal for not going far enough – lamenting that member states “fell at the final hurdle” by settling on 4 and 6 hours instead of 5 and 9, which airlines believe would better reflect operational realities.
According to A4E, the Commission’s original plan in 2013 had even suggested 5/9 hour thresholds, and the industry hoped for those higher limits to reduce compensation payouts and save costs on knock-on delays. Some airline representatives thus see the current proposal as a missed opportunity – it offers them relief compared to the strict 3-hour rule, but not as much as they wanted.
On the other side, consumer and passenger-rights groups have decried the reforms as a step backwards in crucial areas. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) argues that by raising delay thresholds, the deal would “deprive the majority of passengers of their compensation rights, as most delays are between 2 and 4 hours.”
Indeed, EU statistics show a large share of flight delays fall in that window, which currently qualifies for compensation but under the new rules would not. Advocacy groups estimate up to 60% of passengers who would today be eligible might get nothing if the draft law is enacted. BEUC’s Director General labeled the Council’s compromise a “substantial rollback of key rights”, warning that it tilts the balance in favor of airlines’ bottom lines.
Consumer organizations do acknowledge some improvements on paper – for instance, clearer information duties and better care during disruptions – but they insist these do not outweigh the weakening of compensation entitlements.
There is also disappointment that the text fails to guarantee a free cabin bag beyond a small personal item, effectively legitimizing airlines’ practice of charging for normal carry-on luggage, which BEUC and national regulators have fought against as unfair. “The revision should show consumers what the EU can do for them, rather than taking away consolidated rights,” BEUC urged, calling for the European Parliament to hold firm on stronger protections.
Lawmakers in the European Parliament have responded with fierce criticism of the Council’s plan. In a June 17, 2025 plenary debate, many MEPs – across different political groups – blasted the proposal as “unacceptable” and impossible to justify to the public.
Some went so far as to denounce the deal as a “betrayal” and “backstabbing” of passengers. They accused national governments of caving to airline lobbying at the expense of consumers. Several MEPs pointed out that airlines have actually improved on-time performance in recent years precisely because the 3-hour compensation rule gave them an incentive to avoid long delays – weakening that incentive could remove pressure on carriers to prevent delays.
European consumer bodies had echoed this, noting that EU261 not only compensates travelers but also drives airlines to keep delays under three hours whenever possible. With Parliament now co-legislating the reform, MEPs signaled they will push back on the most “pro-airline” changes. For example, Parliament’s Transport Committee has favored keeping the 3-hour delay trigger for compensation (with €300–€400 payouts), directly contradicting the Council’s 4+ hour proposal.
MEPs also want a closed, definitive list of extraordinary circumstances to limit carriers’ interpretive leeway, unlike the open-ended list the Council prefers. “This erosion of passenger rights is unacceptable, and Parliament is determined to oppose any attempt to weaken them,” one MEP affirmed during debate.
Next Steps and Why It Matters
As of September 2025, the draft regulation is moving through the EU legislative process. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal in late 2025 after committee discussions and possible amendments. If Parliament significantly amends the text, further negotiations (trilogue) with the Council and Commission will follow to reach a final compromise.
Consumer advocates are urging MEPs to stand firm and even reject the deal outright unless it better safeguards passenger rights. Airlines, meanwhile, continue to lobby through industry associations for a more “workable” regime – one that further reduces their obligations. The outcome will determine how the new rules strike a balance between protecting travelers and acknowledging airlines’ operational challenges.
Millions of European travelers are impacted by flight disruptions every year, from short delays to mass cancellations, making these rights critically important. EU261 has been a cornerstone of consumer protection – enabling flyers to claim compensation when trips go awry – and has few equivalents globally.
The revision will directly affect what air passengers can expect in terms of care and reimbursement when their journey doesn’t go as planned. For example, a family stuck overnight due to a canceled flight could benefit from the new automatic rerouting and hotel provisions, but if their delay was 4 hours (rather than a longer 6+ hours), they might no longer receive a monetary payout under the proposed thresholds.
Such changes make it essential for travelers to stay informed: the rules for claiming compensation or assistance may soon change, altering how and when one can demand fair treatment from airlines. Consumer rights experts note that robust enforcement will be key – it does little good to have rights on paper if airlines can easily dodge or delay honoring them.
The reform includes measures to speed up claims and strengthen oversight, which could help address the notorious difficulties passengers face in actually obtaining compensation.
At its core, the 2025 update of EU air passenger rights matters because it will shape the accountability of airlines to their customers in the decade ahead. The travel experience – especially during flight delays and cancellations – hangs in the balance.
Will the new rules continue to guarantee meaningful compensation and assistance, or will they tip in favor of carriers’ convenience and cost-savings? As the legislative debate continues, all eyes are on the European Parliament to see if it will uphold the high standard of protection that European flyers have come to expect, or endorse the Council’s more modest approach.
For now, passengers should be aware that changes are on the horizon, and that understanding one’s rights – and how they might evolve – is more important than ever in securing fair treatment when air travel plans go awry.
FAQ
When was EU passenger rights last updated?
The current rules date from 2004; this is the first major reform in over a decade.
What are the new delay thresholds for compensation?
4 hours for short/medium flights and 6 hours for long-haul.
How will compensation amounts change?
Short flights rise slightly to €300, while long-haul drops from €600 to €500.
What new rights do passengers gain?
Stronger rerouting options, explicit care obligations, and clearer claim deadlines.
Sources:
- Council of the EU - “Council sets position on clearer and improved rules for air passengers” (Press Release, 5 June 2025)
- European Parliament News - “Air passenger rights revision” (Briefing, 16 June 2025)
- Wikipedia - “Air Passengers Rights Regulation” (EC 261/2004, Recent Developments, 2025)
- Flight-Delayed.com - “European Parliament hits back in battle over passenger rights” (News, 18 June 2025)
- BEUC (European Consumer Organisation) – Press Release: “EU countries are pushing to a rollback of key air passenger rights” (5 June 2025)
- The Guardian - “EU agrees to increase flight delay times before passengers get compensation” (6 June 2025)
- Eurochambres - Position on the revision of Air Passenger Rights Regulation (Sept 2025)