EU approves updated air passenger rights set to apply in 2027

Millions of travellers are about to get new rights after 22 years of waiting

This is the first time air passenger rights have been updated since 2004 (Picture: Getty Images) Travel in 2027 is set to change for the better.Whether you’ve got a summer holiday booked or you’re planning a cool-cation for winter, your journey should go off with less stress.This is all down to a new law from the Council of the European Union, aimed at improving air passenger rights.From free hand luggage to clearer rules on compensation, travellers are in for an easier ride, including – wait for it – the end of being penalised for making mistakes when booking flights.We’ve all been there: accidentally misspelling our name in a rush of excitement, only to be charged extortionate amounts to change it back.Not to mention spending hours on the phone to customer service, only to be told there’s nothing they can do. Best of Metro Deals Get exclusive discounts with Metro Deals – save on getaways and spa days. Powered by Wowcher Bannatyne Spa: Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco — save up to 57% off. Get deal now Mystery Escape: Hotel stay with return flights from as low as £92pp — save on worldwide holiday packages. Get deal now Beach Retreat (Lanzarote): 4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights — save up to 58%. Get deal now The new rulings come after over a decade of negotiations, making it the first time the European Parliament has approved plans to overhaul passenger rights since 2004. New hand luggage rules will come into effect next year (Picture: Getty Images) Following the landmark decision this July, Transport and Tourism Committee Vice-chair Virginijus Sinkevičius called it ‘good news for everyone who flies.’He said passengers will not lose the rights they already had, but will secure ‘better protection for families, people with reduced mobility, and others who need it most.’Meanwhile, European Parliament member Andrey Novakov called the new ruling a ‘win’ for passengers and European aviation.‘After more than 13 years of deadlock, we are finally replacing uncertainty with clear rules, stronger rights and confidence. When people take a plane, their rights will not be left behind on the ground,’ he said.Here, we unpack the new rules which are set to come into action in 2027, 12 months and 20 days after the publication in the EU’s Official Journal.Hand luggage and fare transparencyLast month, Metro reported that the EU had reached an agreement allowing hand luggage on board free of charge.Travellers will be able to take carry-on luggage measuring 40cm x 30cm x 15cm, with no extra fee.This is in addition to the usual under-the-seat rucksack allowance.When the rule comes into effect, it means low-cost airlines like Ryanair and easyJet will have to ditch their additional prices for items such as a small bag or backpack. Passengers won’t be charged an extra fee for boarding the outbound journey of a return flight (Picture: Getty Images) Under the new regulation, all airlines must display the airfare, including carry-on luggage, at the start of the booking process.However, it has also been agreed that carriers can offer cheaper tickets to passengers who voluntarily choose to travel without hand luggage.Rhys Jones, Aviation Editor at Head for Points, previously told Metro: ‘Affected airlines will now need to show a default price that includes a cabin trolley bag, although passengers will be able to opt out during the process for an additional saving.’Rhys said this will ‘make it easier to compare to full-service airlines such as British Airways and Air France, where trolley bags are included in the fare.’Travel disruptionThe new rulings state that ‘no-show’ policies for return flights are prohibited.This means that passengers who didn’t board the outbound journey cannot be denied taking the return flight.Similarly, airlines will no longer be able to charge passengers a fee for boarding said return flight.However, what has not changed are your rights if your flight is delayed or cancelled. This includes choosing between being reimbursed or re-routed in the event of a cancellation.But, airlines must now inform passengers within 96 hours of their rights and the procedure for claiming compensation.Depending on the length of your flight, passengers can still claim €250, €400 or €600 if the flight is delayed by three hours or more.People owed money will have nine months to file a compensation request. Airlines will then have 30 days to pay up, or decline the request if they can prove the delay or cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances.The European Council states that the new rules ‘clarify the definition of extraordinary circumstances.’ No more asking people to swap seats with you on flights (Picture: Getty Images) This includes ‘natural disasters, war, weather conditions, unruly passengers, or airport, air navigation or ground handling service provider strikes.’This is to ‘make it easier for passengers to exercise their rights.’More protections for vulnerable passengersThe vote also ensures that passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility will be able to claim compensation, rerouting and assistance from airlines if they miss their flight at the fault of the airport.For example, airport staff not helping them get to the gate on time.Elsewhere, families with children will be allowed to sit next to each other without paying extra. This is extended to pregnant passengers or people with disabilities and reduced mobility, who will be able to exercise the same seating right.How do airlines feel about the ruling?It’s safe to say that some airlines aren’t jumping for joy like us passengers. Especially in terms of the new hand luggage rule.In recent months, budget airlines have been relying on charging for cabin baggage due to the financial losses and soaring jet fuel prices linked to the Middle East disruption.It’s also been a lucrative money-maker for airlines. In 2024, Ryanair made €4.7 billion from charging extra fees, which included baggage costs.Michael O’Leary, boss of the Irish carrier, has expressed his opinions, calling it ‘gobbledygook.’He said the regulations ‘require airlines to falsely advertise higher air fares, making EU airlines even less competitive.’O’Leary added that over 50% of Ryanair customers choose fares that exclude a second cabin bag, and that the regulations were discouraging EU airlines from advertising their lowest fares. Latest Metro travel news • ‘Dreamy’ London lido named the best place in the capital for a heatwave dip • Airline’s new biometric feature means your face is now your boarding pass • Major UK airport e-gate change affecting 1,500,000 Brits comes into effect today • Anger over plan to allow picnics on Italian beaches • Major London station to close within weeks for major £20,000,000 upgrade Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

4 hours ago

The EU Just Approved New Rules For Air Travel: 13 Changes To Expect

You might have heard about new rules in the EU which mean fliers in the bloc will be able to bring cabin bags on board for free in the near future. The same changes also involve clearer compensation rules for people whose flights are delayed. And on Monday 13 July, the rules were given “the final green light” by the Council of the European Union. They won’t come into place immediately, though. “The current rules, which have been in place since 2004, will stay in effect until the new ones come into force in the second half of 2027,” the Council of the European Union said.“The updated air passenger rules will enter into force 12 months and 20 days after the publication in the Official Journal.”But what are the new rules, and how might they affect those flying in Europe?What are the new flying rules in Europe?The new EU rules include: Passengers will be able to bring a personal item like a small bag or backpack on board for free.Passengers “shall not be denied boarding on the grounds that they used their own printed version of a digitally issued boarding pass”.Passengers with disabilities and/or reduced mobility will be entitled to compensation, rerouting and assistance if they miss a flight due to the airport’s failure to get them to the gate on time.Children aged 14 and under will be able to sit beside their parents for free. Pregnant people and people with reduced mobility will likewise be able to sit beside their travel companion without paying added reservation costs. Airlines will have to have more transparent pricing, including “displaying air fares including allowance for a piece of hand baggage before the start of any booking process”.Airlines can’t charge passengers to correct misspellings of their name on a ticket.Passengers will be able to get boarding passes on check-in without having to create an account or download an app.If a passenger misses the outbound flight of a return journey, they won’t face a “no-show” penalty on their flight back.If a passenger is moved to a lower class seat in the plane than they booked, they’ll be automatically entitled to a refund.Printed boarding passes will have to be offered for free.Passengers will have nine months to file a claim against an airline for disrupted travel.If travel has been disrupted, airlines will have to offer passengers a refreshment after two hours, a meal after three hours, meals every five hours after that (with a maximum of three meals a day), free hotel accommodation if needed, and free travel if required. Do UK airlines have to follow these rules?At the moment, these rules will only be enforced within the EU. That means UK airlines don’t have to follow them because of Brexit.But the consumer champion Which? said that, in effect, the UK will probably “have to” take the new guidelines on board in the future.The changes will apply to all EU airlines, like Ireland’s Ryanair, and also need to be implemented on flights from the EU to the UK. Because it would be very impractical to have different baggage, seating, boarding, and delay policies from one leg of a return flight to the next, this could mean UK airlines will follow EU flying guidance for flights to the bloc as well.Related...A Doctor Says These 7 Everyday Medicines Are A No-Go While FlyingJet2 Says To Bring Physical Item On-Board For More 'Efficient' Flight19 UK And EU Airports Affected By Ryanair Flight Cuts

1 day ago