Airlines will also be required to provide more assistance to delayed passengers.
The European Parliament has ruled that carry-on luggage must now be included in the price of the airline ticket.
Starting in 2027, airlines will be required to include both a small personal item and carry-on luggage in the ticket price – this effectively ends the practice of charging separately for cabin baggage, which is particularly common among budget carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet.
Airline customers will also be able to receive a discount if they opt out of bringing additional baggage.
Passengers will be entitled to a free personal item measuring 40×30×15 cm, as well as a wheeled suitcase with total dimensions of up to 100 cm and a weight of up to 7 kg.
The EU has also maintained the requirement that airlines must seat parents with children next to each other for free.
The new rules also clarify compensation amounts: €300 for delays on flights over 3,500 kilometers and €600 if the delay exceeds four hours or if the flight is completely canceled.
Airlines will also be required to provide more assistance to passengers who miss their connecting flights. Airlines will be prohibited from forcing passengers to download an app to obtain their boarding pass – as Ryanair did in November.
Carriers will also be banned from charging fees for correcting typos or changing a passenger's name on the ticket. Additionally, so-called no-show penalties for missing return flights will be prohibited.
Airlines claim that these rules will undermine their competitiveness in the market and lead to higher ticket prices.
EU member states and the European Parliament have been engaged in political debates on passenger rights for 13 years. The new rules will come into effect in 2027.
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