It’s official: EU261 compensation to shrink

Compensation for delayed and canceled flights to, from and within the EU will be more limited in future as the European Council voted 25-2 to redefine the conditions for receiving compensation as well as the amounts.

Under the new plan, compensation will only be paid after delays of four hours rather than three for flights under 3,500 kilometers, and only after six hours for longer flights. Compensation amounts will change, too, with the €250 minimum for short-haul flights rising to €300, but the €600 compensation for delays on long-haul flights dropping to €500.

The rules were adopted by the Council using an unusual procedure that bypasses pre-approval by the European Parliament. Instead of negotiating changes ahead of time, the Parliament will be limited to accepting the changes or drawing up a new bill that can win a 361-vote majority. In the Council voting, only Germany and Spain voted against the changes.

The revisions also include strengthening of provisions for passengers with disabilities, but details are not yet clear. Also not clear is the degree to which the mandate for the airlines to streamline the process of paying compensation, a process that has led many travelers to believe the airlines are trying to evade payment altogether.

The changes in the compensation rules are largely the result of long-time lobbying by airlines. Since the EU261 rules were largely copied over into British law after Brexit, it is likely that airlines will now press for changes in the UK as well.

The changes will take some months to take effect; beyond the waiting period allowed for action by the Parliament, there will need to be an announced dates for phase-in, likely not before late this year.

 

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

Share the Post:

Comments

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Featured Destination

recommended by TravelGumbo

Gumbo's Pic of the Day

Posts by the Same Author