MEPs Fight for Passenger Rights

In a recent move, members of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee have boldly reinforced their stance on maintaining and enhancing current air passenger rights, amidst ongoing discussions on updating the EU regulations. The committee’s decision underscores a commitment to ensuring robust protections against common travel disruptions such as delays, cancellations, and overbooking.

The committee voted on Monday to oppose any reduction in compensations or thresholds for inconvenience. MEPs advocated for the retention of the three-hour delay compensation trigger and opposed the Council’s suggestion of a four to six-hour delay, depending on flight distance. They also rejected a reduction in compensation amounts, proposing to maintain the current rates of €300 to €600.

Further additions by the MEPs aimed to bolster passenger convenience and fairness. Proposed measures include mandatory provision of a pre-filled compensation form by airlines within 48 hours of a disruption, the elimination of additional fees for essential services like boarding pass corrections, and the right to choose between digital and paper boarding passes without extra charges. The committee also emphasized the importance of providing priority boarding and adjacent seating for passengers with reduced mobility, pregnant women, and those traveling with young children, without additional costs.

Rapporteur Andrey Novakov highlighted the parliament’s firm position, stating, “Again, Parliament is sending a clear message: we will not step back from existing passengers’ rights. We are determined to improve them, not dilute them.” The draft position garnered significant support, passing with 36 votes in favor and only two abstentions. It is now set to be presented at the January plenary session for final approval.

The ongoing discussions reflect the EU’s commitment to ensuring that air travel regulations remain fair and transparent, providing adequate protections to passengers while balancing the operational realities of air carriers. This initiative follows years of stalled progress since the last major update proposal in 2014, with the MEPs now poised to finalize a stronger framework for passenger rights.