There is set to be an increase in the amount of time passengers will have to wait before they can claim compensation for a delayed flight after the European Council agreed to raise thresholds for airline compensation.
Under the current rules, passengers can apply for compensation if any flight is delayed by more than three hours.
Once the new rules are implemented, passengers will only be able to apply for compensation for short-haul flights if they are delayed for four hours or more. Passengers on long-haul flights will have to wait six hours before being eligible for compensation.
EU transport ministers also agreed to cut compensation for long-haul flights from €600 to €500, while increasing the amount of compensation for those delayed on short-haul flights from €250 to €300.
The agreement was reached yesterday during a European Council summit in Luxembourg.
It comes after many years of negotiations on the issue and significant lobbying for change from the airline industry. The revision of the EU’s air passenger rights was first proposed by the European Commission in 2013.
Belgian support for the rule changes
EU transport ministers revised 31 different air passenger rights at the meeting in Luxembourg. In addition to the aforementioned changes, ministers agreed to new restrictions on denying reimbursement, automating compensation forms, and making airlines responsible for providing accommodation for long delays.
While there was resistance to the proposed changes on compensation from Germany and Spain, Belgium supported the revised rules. Belgian Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke said: “Clear, fair and enforceable rules are essential in a sector that involves millions of travellers every year.
“It is important, for passengers and carriers alike, that rights and obligations are well defined. Belgium therefore fully supports the European commitment to strengthening passenger rights.”
Consumer rights organisation BEUC opposed the changes to flight compensation. A BEUC spokesperson told Euronews earlier this week that the reform would deprive a very large number of passengers of compensation.
"If the text is voted on as it stands between the member states, before negotiations with the Parliament, we will be sending out a very bad signal to European consumers by going back on rights that are really fundamental when travelling," said the spokesperson.
