The European Parliament on Wednesday voted down proposals that would have allowed airlines to delay flights for longer before being required to compensate passengers, setting up a clash with EU member states that support the changes.
Meeting in Strasbourg, MEPs backed the existing rules by a large majority, preserving the system under which travellers are entitled to compensation if their flight arrives more than three hours late.
By 632 votes to 15, lawmakers also approved measures requiring airlines to include carry-on baggage in the ticket price and prohibiting extra charges for parents who want to sit next to their children.
The result leaves efforts by the European Union to overhaul so-called air passenger rights stalled.
Under current legislation, passengers can claim between €250 and €600, depending on the length of the journey, when delays exceed three hours.
Airlines argue that this exposes them to significant costs and can encourage carriers to cancel services outright rather than operate heavily delayed flights that disrupt wider schedules.
Last year, a majority of the EU’s 27 governments backed raising the delay threshold to four hours for flights of up to 3,500 kilometres or for any intra-EU journey, and to six hours for longer routes. Compensation levels under that plan would have been adjusted to between €300 and €500.
The proposal also included additional incentives, such as a ‘right to be rerouted’ at the earliest possible opportunity and automatic compensation for flights cancelled within 14 days of departure.
However, parliamentarians judged the package insufficient.
Because any reform must be agreed jointly by the parliament and member states, a ‘conciliation committee’ will now be convened to seek a compromise.
If no agreement is reached, the existing rules will remain unchanged.
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Parliament wants to maintain a traveller’s right to compensation for a three-hour delay and is also pushing for simpler reimbursement procedures and free cabin luggage.
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— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) January 22, 2026
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