After 13 years of discussions and 22 years after the first package came into force, the European Union is preparing to rewrite part of the rules that protect air passengers, from delays and compensation to company liabilities.
However, the new package, which is due to receive the final green light in July, is not pleasing anyone. The changes are not expected to overturn the current rules, but they do introduce some innovations that will affect the way travelers book flights and claim compensation. Here’s what’s expected to change from the second half of 2027.
1) What is the most important difference?
Fare transparency. The agreement stipulates that the final ticket price, displayed by booking platforms and airlines, be clear from the start and include hand luggage.
2) Does this mean that low-cost airlines will no longer be able to charge an additional fee to take a carry-on bag on board, except for a smaller personal item such as a backpack or handbag that is placed under the seat in front?
Not at all. New EU rules will force airlines and online travel agencies to always show the price of a ticket that includes hand luggage. But at the time of booking, the traveler will still be able to choose the basic fare, without hand luggage, which will cost less.
So, basically nothing changes: on low-cost companies, hand luggage will continue to be paid separately.
3) If nothing changes, why has the EU decided to take this step?
The measure aims to combat the practice known as “drip pricing”, i.e. cases where the price of a ticket gradually increases during the purchase process due to mandatory additional fees or essential services that are added later.
It also unifies the criteria according to which booking algorithms display prices. In practice, this means that when travelers search for flights on specialized search engines, the comparison between low-cost companies and other traditional lines will be more accurate, as it will be based on the same level of service offered.
4) Do the new rules also define the maximum dimensions of hand luggage or personal items?
No. In this case, airlines are left with the right to set their own baggage dimensions and weight. This means that the old issue of different criteria applied by one airline to another remains unresolved.
5) Will airlines be able to continue to charge additional fees for children to sit next to their parents?
No. This practice is prohibited. The agreement waives any additional costs for assigning seats for children under 14 years of age to their parent or accompanying person.
The same principle, that of travel at no additional cost and with guaranteed protection, will also apply to persons with disabilities or reduced mobility, as well as to their companions.
It remains to be seen how some low-cost companies will try to circumvent this ban.
6) What changes regarding compensation in case of delays or cancellations?
The European Parliament has rejected attempts to weaken existing passenger protections. The three-hour delay threshold for receiving financial compensation remains unchanged, despite proposals to increase it to four or six hours.
Passengers continue to have the right to financial compensation or transportation on an alternative flight in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure, or long delays in arrival.
7) How much are the compensations and what do they depend on?
The compensation amounts do not change and continue to be calculated based on the flight distance, according to the following scheme:
a) 250 euros for all flights up to 1,500 kilometers, including those with a length equal to this distance;
b) 400 euros for flights with a distance of 1,500 to 3,500 kilometers;
c) 600 euros for flights with a distance of over 3,500 kilometers.
8) Is compensation (different from reimbursement, which relates to the return of the amount paid for the ticket) a fixed amount?
No. The new rules provide that for flights over 3,500 kilometers, the airline can reduce the compensation by 50%, to 300 euros, if it offers the passenger an alternative flight or if the arrival delay does not exceed four hours.
9) Are there cases when airlines are exempt from the obligation to pay compensation?
Yes. Airlines are not obliged to pay compensation if the problem is caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond their control.
To avoid arbitrary interpretations by carriers, the agreement includes a clear, although non-exhaustive, list of such cases. These include natural disasters, wars, adverse weather conditions that prevent normal flight operations, problematic passenger behavior, as well as strikes affecting airport services, air traffic control or ground handling services.
10) What kind of assistance, physical and digital, is provided for passengers who remain stranded at the airport?
Airlines must offer passengers drinks every two hours of waiting and a meal after three hours.
In case the delay extends overnight, they are obliged to guarantee hotel accommodation for up to three nights.
On the operational side, companies will also need to make clear and easily accessible instructions available via smartphone or other digital channels on how passengers can seek assistance and submit their complaints.
11) What happens now in terms of legislation before the rules come into force?
As this is a provisional agreement between negotiators of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, the text must now be confirmed and formally adopted by both institutions. The final vote in the European Parliament is scheduled for mid-July 2026.
Once approved and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the package will become the new standard for air transport in the European space, most likely starting in the second half of 2027.