Overview
- Negotiators reached a provisional agreement in Strasbourg on Monday that keeps the three‑hour delay threshold and the €250–€600 compensation bands while adding clearer procedures for claiming payments.
- The deal requires airlines to seat any adult travelling with a child under 14 in an adjacent seat and extends the same adjacent‑seat right to pregnant passengers and some people with reduced mobility.
- Passengers will be guaranteed one free personal item and airlines, booking sites and search portals must display fares inclusive of carry‑on allowance at the start of booking, though carriers may offer cheaper opt‑out tickets for travellers who waive hand luggage.
- New procedural rules give passengers nine months to claim compensation, require airlines to pay or justify refusal within 30 days and to send electronic claim instructions soon after arrival while duty‑of‑care rules set regular refreshment, meal and limited overnight accommodation obligations.
- Major carriers and trade groups have publicly criticised the changes for raising costs, and the provisional text must still be formally confirmed by both the European Parliament and the Council within the coming weeks before a final timetable for implementation is set.