Brussels has moved closer to rewriting EU air passenger rights, preserving the 3-hour delay trigger and the €250 to €600 compensation ladder while adding a duty for airlines to notify disrupted passengers within 96 hours. The deal also tightens claims handling, narrows room for extraordinary-circumstance disputes, bans no-show rules on return legs and strengthens mobility and disability rights.
The Commission says the package covers departures from the EU and inbound flights on EU carriers, with formal adoption still pending. Baggage rules remain less specific in the official text, but the political agreement points to fare transparency and free hand luggage. Once published, the new regime would start 12 months later.