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The European Parliament has approved, by an almost unanimous vote, new rules to protect passengers when their travel is disrupted.
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Travellers across the EU will be able to claim a refund using a standard form, which will be made available on the European Commission’s website in all EU languages and will cover all modes of transport.
Passengers are entitled to a full refund within 14 days and intermediaries such as travel agents or online booking platforms are included in the reimbursement obligations, which was not clear in the previous legislation.
If an intermediary does not provide the reimbursement in the time due, the airline is obliged to step in and make the payment to the passenger concerned.
“We are prioritising the rights of our citizens over the profits of airlines,” said Italian Socialist Matteo Ricci, the MEP in charge of the regulation.
The rules also strengthen the rights of people with disabilities: where necessary, a companion will be able to travel with them on a flight free of charge, as is already the case on buses, trains and ships.
The regulation passed with 652 votes in favour, two against and eight abstentions. It builds on a major overhaul of air passenger rights adopted in July, which made refunds easier to obtain and requires airlines to include one free item of hand luggage in the fares displayed online.
