Airlines will no longer be able to charge passengers to sit next to their children and travelers will retain their current right to compensation for delays of more than three hours, under an interim deal backed by EU national representatives after 13 years of talks.
The deal, reached on Friday, still requires formal approval by European Parliament negotiators in the conciliation committee on June 15 – final legal DEADLINE before the reform is closed.
Thirteen years after the EU executive proposed updating passenger rights for the era of seamless flights, Parliament’s chief negotiators appear to have it worked in forcing governments to withdraw.
European capitals had sided with airlines in calling for lower levels of legal compensation, which they said should only be made after even longer delays, with carriers warning that stronger protections for passengers would push up ticket prices.
In addition to maintaining existing rights to compensation, disgruntled passengers should in future expect a clear email from their carrier explaining how they can claim the money they are owed.
“We did not give up,” chief negotiator of the Parliament Andrey Novakov said in Xshowing what he said were the main gains of Parliament.
There is no free baggage allowance
“No deal is ever perfect,” Green MEP Virginijus Sinkevičius, a former EU environment commissioner and member of the negotiating team, said in a post on social networks which nevertheless highlighted some clear wins for Parliament.
“Clearer passenger rights, free family seats, stronger protections for disabled people, fairer vouchers and better protection of return tickets,” Sinkevičius wrote.
However, he and his fellow MEPs failed to secure the right of passengers to bring a 7kg cabin bag on board free of charge, along with a free small bag.
Airlines for Europe, a lobby group representing the EU’s biggest carriers, was quick to criticize the compromise.
“Endless political back-and-forth is now resulting in bad law that breaches existing EU consumer protection rules without fixing the real issues of reducing delays and cancellations,” said director Ourania Georgoutsakou.
All but four governments backed the deal, the sources said Euractiv: Latvia and Spain voted against, while Austria and Finland abstained.
The interim deal now needs formal approval by Parliament’s negotiating team on Monday.
It will then need a rubber stamp from Parliament – on July 9, a source said – and government ministers before it can come into effect.
(rh, aw)
