The European Parliament gave final approval on Tuesday to updated EU rules that improve the protection and information provided to passengers in the event of travel disruptions. The regulation, which strengthens passenger rights across all modes of transport, was adopted with 652 votes in favour, two against and eight abstentions.
The new rules clarify the refund procedure when flights are booked through intermediaries, such as travel agencies or online booking platforms. Passengers are entitled to a full refund, including intermediary fees, within 14 days. The air carrier must transfer the funds to the intermediary within a maximum of seven days, and the intermediary must pay the passenger within an additional seven days. Intermediaries are required to inform passengers of the applicable refund arrangements at the time of booking.
Passengers will be able to submit claims using standardised forms for refunds and compensation, or any equivalent form provided by the carrier. Common forms will be available on the Commission's website, in all languages and for all types of travel.
Furthermore, the rights of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility are strengthened. Companions will be allowed to travel by plane free of charge if their presence is necessary, as is already the case for travel by bus, train or ship. National authorities are also granted greater powers to investigate potential breaches of passenger rights and will be able to proactively initiate audits, inspections or discussions with carriers, not only after receiving passenger complaints.
Rapporteur Matteo Ricci (S&D, IT) highlighted that this legislation will improve the protection enjoyed by passengers. "National authorities will ensure that companies fulfil their obligations without initiating court proceedings. Passengers who buy tickets through intermediaries will retain their rights, and support for individuals with reduced mobility will also be improved. We are putting the rights of our citizens ahead of the profits of air carriers," Ricci said.
Croatian MEP Nikolina Brnjac (HDZ) stated in a statement to Hina that the updated rules represent a "concrete step" for citizens' rights in all modes of transport. "After successfully protecting passenger rights in air transport, we have today ensured additional concrete steps for citizens in all other modes of transport: a full refund for cancelled airline tickets purchased through intermediaries within 14 days, including intermediary fees, and unified European forms for easier claiming of refunds and compensation in all modes of transport," Brnjac said.
She added that they had also secured free travel for necessary companions of persons with disabilities in air transport, as is already provided for in other modes of transport, as well as greater powers for national authorities, which will be able to independently investigate breaches of passenger rights without waiting for citizen complaints. "We confirmed existing rights to refunds for tickets, 30 days for rail, 14 days for bus and 7 days for maritime transport, and aligned the deadline for submitting complaints in all modes of transport to three months," Brnjac said.
The Council still needs to formally approve the updated rules before their publication in the Official Journal of the EU. The new rules will apply from 23 October 2027. In 2023, the Commission presented updated EU rules within the package for passenger mobility, which regulate passenger rights in air, rail, maritime and bus transport, as well as inland waterway transport. Around 13 billion passengers who travel by plane, train, bus or ferry in the EU every year are covered by EU passenger rights, and this figure is expected to reach 15 billion by 2030 and almost 20 billion by 2050.
