EU adopts tougher air passenger rules — compensation up to €600 and mandatory hotel for overnight delays

The European Union has adopted a new package of rules that strengthens air passenger protections for delays, cancellations, baggage problems and other travel disruptions. The measures — published in the Official Journal of the European Union — set clearer airline obligations and introduce financial compensation in many cases.

Those compensation rules apply when a passenger arrives at their final destination more than three hours late or when a carrier cancels a flight less than 14 days before the scheduled departure. The amount depends on flight distance: €250 for journeys up to 1,500 kilometres; €400 for intra-EU trips longer than 1,500 km and for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km; and, depending on circumstances, up to €600 for the longest routes.

Immediate care, overnight accommodation and practical help

Airlines will also be obliged to provide assistance while passengers wait: refreshments every two hours, and a meal if the wait reaches three hours or more. Carriers must give access to the internet and a means of telephone communication so travellers can notify relatives, change plans or arrange onward travel.

If a delay or cancellation forces a passenger to stay overnight, the airline must arrange suitable hotel accommodation and transfers between airport and hotel. When the carrier fails to provide that help, passengers may pay reasonable costs themselves — for food, lodging or transport — and later seek reimbursement; keeping receipts and proof of expenditure will be important.

The rules also simplify re-routing obligations after cancellations or disruptions so airlines must follow clearer deadlines and procedures to get passengers to their final destination, rather than leaving travellers to find solutions on their own. Families travelling with children will be protected: under the new rules minors must be seated next to the accompanying parent or guardian without extra charge.

The reform strengthens protections for people with disabilities, passengers with reduced mobility, pregnant travellers and unaccompanied minors, tightens rules on delayed, damaged or lost baggage, and requires clearer price displays during booking so consumers know what is included — for example the conditions for carry-on baggage — before they complete a reservation. The new regulation enters into force on 23 October 2027.

Photo: Ilustracija (AI)