On the 12th of June 2026, the European Parliament and Council reached an agreement to modernise the EU’s air passenger rights regulation — the well-known EU261. Here, point by point, is what the reform will change for your travels.

The essentials in a few lines:

Your compensation doesn’t move: still 250–600 EUR for a significant delay, a cancellation or denied boarding.
A personal item and a small cabin bag now travel free of charge.
No more surcharge to sit next to your child or someone you’re accompanying.
No more mandatory apps to retrieve your boarding pass, and no more fees to correct a typo in your name.
Stronger protections for passengers with reduced mobility.

Worth noting: these new rules should start to apply from 2027.

Like all EU261 provisions, they cover flights departing from an EU airport (whatever the airline), as well as flights arriving in the EU operated by a European carrier.

Compensation: the amounts aren’t moving (and that was far from a given)

If your flight arrives at least 3 hours late or is cancelled, you can claim compensation of between 250 and 600 EUR per passenger, with the amount rising the further you fly. Be aware that this only applies when the disruption is the airline’s fault: in the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond its control — extreme weather, an air traffic control strike and the like — nothing is owed.

That outcome was anything but obvious, though. Backed by the airline lobby, the EU Council was pushing to raise the delay thresholds sharply and cut the amounts — a change that could have stripped 60–70% of currently eligible passengers of their compensation. In the end it was the Parliament that forced the status quo, keeping the 3-hour threshold and the 250–600 EUR scale.

With Air Refund, checking whether you’re eligible takes only a few minutes. Since 2010, we’ve stood up for travellers across Europe and supported more than a million passengers. Our promise: no fees until you’re compensated, and we’ll even advance the costs of legal proceedings if they become necessary.

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Baggage: the end (almost) of cabin fees

One of the flagship parts of the reform takes aim at cabin baggage fees. Low-cost airlines, Ryanair chief among them, piled on surcharges and drastic size rules — to the point where the bag sometimes cost more than the ticket.

From now on, two bags travel free:

one personal item (handbag, backpack or laptop) no larger than 40x30x15 cm;
one small cabin bag, within 100 cm and 7 kg.

Airlines will still be able to offer a discount to travellers who give up their bag, but they won’t be allowed to advertise that “reduced” price up front. The result should be clearer, more comparable prices.

Travelling with family and a companion

Some airlines charged simply to seat a parent next to their child. That practice is now banned. The same rule applies to anyone accompanying a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility: sitting together will no longer cost a thing.

Less friction before you fly

Several everyday annoyances disappear:

Boarding pass: since November 2025, Ryanair required passengers to download its app in order to board. That will be prohibited; you must still be able to receive your pass by email, and printed versions will have to be accepted — with no printing fee if you’ve already checked in.
Name correction: a typo in your first or last name can no longer be charged for.
Return flight: skipping the outbound leg will no longer cancel your return. Even if you reach your destination another way, you can still use your ticket to get home.

Reduced-mobility passengers: stronger guarantees

Beyond a free seat next to their companion, passengers with reduced mobility will get extra protections:

additional compensation if the airport fails to provide the assistance expected;
priority when it comes to assistance and rerouting;
the right to carry their mobility equipment and assistance dog at no extra insurance cost;
free replacement of that equipment if it’s lost or damaged.

When will the reform take effect?

The text still needs to be approved by the European Parliament in a plenary session before it becomes law. It’s expected to apply from 2027. Until then, the current EU261 protections remain fully in force.

Claim what you’re owed with Air Refund

Had a flight delayed, cancelled or overbooked in the past few years? You may be entitled to compensation. With AirRefund.com/en, the process is simple, fast and risk-free: if we don’t win, you don’t pay.