Europe’s passenger protections are being strengthened as the European Union prepares to introduce new rules across all modes of transport on third-party ticket purchases, reimbursement and compensation, and the rights of people with disabilities or reduced mobility.
Approved by the EU Parliament on 20 October 2026, and described in a press release, the new framework will now go to the European Council for rubber-stamping before coming into force one year from now, on 27 October 2027.
Covering around 13 billion journeys across the EU annually, the regulations make it easier and quicker for travellers to receive reimbursement or compensation by introducing a shared, standard claim form for plane, train, coach, bus, or ferry travel. The European Commission will make the standard claim form available on its website and in all relevant languages and for all types of travel. Carriers are also permitted to provide their own equivalent form. They must be proactive and have 96 hours from arrival to inform anyone who could be entitled to compensation how to claim. Passengers have nine months to file their request, and then the clock starts, giving carriers 30 days to pay up or explain why not.
Airlines continue to owe passengers compensation when flights are three hours late or more. The amount of compensation will stay the same (€250, €400, or €600, depending on the journey distance). Airlines must also provide up to three nights in a hotel when extraordinary circumstances cause the disruption.
One part of the protections that some travellers may not know is that, if they ask to be rerouted due to disruption and a carrier fails to do so within three hours, they can book a journey themselves and claim up to 400% of the original fare.
A key element of the new rules is that third-party intermediaries too will have to be transparent about how refunds work at the time of booking, as well as reimbursing the cost of disrupted journeys within a tighter timeframe – just 14 days from the flight cancellation. Airlines have seven days to transfer the necessary payment to the intermediary, who has another seven days to transfer the money back to the customer.
The new rules also give people with disabilities and/or reduced mobility the right to take an “accompanying person” along on flights free of charge, if the companion’s presence is “necessary.” This change brings air travel in line with journeys by bus, train, or ship.
As well as bolstering passenger rights, the regulations give national authorities “enhanced powers for investigating possible breaches of passenger rights. They will be able to proactively initiate audits, inspections or interviews of carriers, not only after receiving passenger complaints,” the press release said.
The EU parliament approved the measures by an overwhelming majority of 652-2. In a statement, Italian MEP and Transport and Tourism Committee member and rapporteur Matteo Ricci highlighted the lawmakers’ focus on protections for everyday public activities, saying: “Travelling is part of our lives. Whether we catch a train to work, a bus for a trip, a plane to return home, or a ferry for holiday, we all share these journeys as passengers. This legislation will improve the protection these travellers receive.”
He added: “National authorities will help make sure companies fulfil their responsibilities without court action. Passengers who buy tickets through intermediaries will keep their rights, and support for individuals with reduced mobility will be improved. We are prioritising the rights of our citizens over the profits of airlines.”
It’s important to note that the regulations cover flights leaving any EU airport, whether or not it is a European carrier operating the journey. But non-EU carriers are not obliged to respect the rules if the flight has departed from a non-EU airport. It could be argued, therefore, that this gives international travellers an incentive to book flights with EU carriers when travelling to the bloc.
