EU states withdraw demand to cut air passenger rights

The European Parliament's chief negotiators also wanted to maintain the three-hour threshold and continue to scale compensation according to flight distance. With the compromise now reached, they have essentially prevailed. The EU Commission had already presented its reform plans in 2013; without an agreement by midnight on the night leading into Tuesday, this proposal would have failed.

Reactions from the European Parliament and Berlin

The SPÖ transport spokesperson in the European Parliament, Andreas Schieder, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations. The summer holiday season is just around the corner and travelers in Europe fortunately no longer have to worry about cuts to their air passenger rights, he said. Formal approval by the Members of Parliament could take place on Monday in Strasbourg.

Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) also welcomed the result. In the ambassadors' committee in Brussels, there had been significant progress on the new regulation of air passenger rights, she stated. The amount of compensation also remains untouched, contrary to what the states had long demanded.

Further contents of the reform

The compromise also provides for easier price comparison for hand luggage and better information for passengers about their rights. The reform also includes rules on hand luggage, family seat reservations, and costs for skipping a flight segment. In addition, a definitive list is to be drawn up of what constitutes extraordinary circumstances for which the airline cannot be held responsible.

The existing EU air passenger rights have essentially been in force since 2004 and are based, among other things, on rulings by the European Court of Justice, which are to be taken into account in the reform. They apply to flights by EU airlines as well as to flights by foreign airlines departing from the EU.

What remains to be done

Whether the reform can enter into force on Tuesday as planned now depends on the approval of the European Parliament. The Members of Parliament intend to deal with the text presented by the member states on Monday in Strasbourg. Only after this formal confirmation would the compromise be final.

For the current travel season, the result is likely to mean that there will be no significant changes to passengers' entitlements. Anyone flying with an airline within the EU or departing from an EU airport and sitting on a delayed aircraft can continue to expect compensation, provided the delay exceeds three hours and the airline is responsible for the delay.