The European Council and European Parliament have agreed new rights for air passengers, with measures introduced to improve price transparency and compensation in the event of disruption.
The EU had been debating banning extra fees for carry-on baggage, a decision heavily opposed by airlines who are keen to protect a major source of ancillary revenue. The law as introduced this week now only covers the right to carry one personal item, a ‘small bag or backpack’, without charge.
However, MEPs have insisted that airlines display prices inclusive of carry-on luggage at the start of the booking process. Analysts have pointed out that carriers frequently advertise extremely low ticket and baggage prices that in reality few customers pay. The UK advertising authorities warned easyJet earlier this year that it had to stop promoting a £5.99 carry-on cost that the airline could not prove was widely available across its routes.
Other measures introduced comprehensively update other air passenger rights, which have not changed in the EU since 2004. Compensation and duty of care in the event of delays or cancellations have been outlined clearly in accordance with the severity of the disruption and the length of the flight.
Seat selection has also come under greater regulation, with the law obliging airlines to seat families with children under 14 together without forcing them to pay extra to avoid randomised seating.
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said:
The European Parliament has always been the strongest advocate for strong air passenger rights. This agreement will strengthen the rights of air passengers across Europe. It will bring greater transparency and predictability for both consumers and airlines, without creating unnecessary bureaucracy for our industry. Parliament fought hard to make travel fairer and procedures clearer, and this is what we have delivered.
The European Parliament will vote on the agreement in July, with plans for the rules to come into effect in 2027.
Join us at World Aviation Festival 2026
For more like this, see:
- Advertising authority warns easyJet over ‘misleading’ bag fee claims
- The great accessibility transformation: How the European Accessibility Act unlocks innovation potential
- KLM to offer free inflight WiFi on European journeys
