Sound the Alarm: Airlines May Dodge Flight Delay Compensation Obligations Under EU's Proposed Regulation Overhaul
Advocates for consumers issue alerts concerning the proposed EU amendment on compensation for flight disruptions
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Advocates for consumers are raising the roof over potential changes to EU regulations revolving around flight delay compensations. The representative for passenger rights at the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv), André Duderstadt, has expressed concern that there may be fewer winners if the proposed reform comes to pass. "A significant number of average travelers could miss out on the aid they deserve," Duderstadt stated in a recent interview with AFP.
The European Commission had first floated the idea of an overhaul in 2013, with a key emphasis on upping the compensation threshold, currently fixed at three hours. If the updates slide through, anything beyond five hours of delay, and even up to 12 hours for long-haul swings, could establish legitimate grounds for compensation.
As of now, the 27 EU member states remain divided on the amendments, which failed to gain support at a meeting last week, hosted by Poland, who currently holds the presidency of the Council of the 27 states. Poland is driving the negotiations forward, hoping for a consensus at the upcoming meeting of EU transport ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday. However, the presiding country may not come away with exactly what it wants; Germany is reportedly challenging the status quo with a counter-proposal that allegedly keeps the threshold intact but adjusts the compensation to a flat rate of 300 euros.
An enthusiastic supporter of the proposal in general, Duderstadt believes such a regulation would safeguard the rights of passengers who currently qualify for compensation. The vzbv, however, continues to push for higher compensations, stating that "the final nail in the coffin hasn't been hammered yet." If the majority of the 27 member states agree on Thursday, negotiations with the European Parliament will follow, potentially in the autumn.
These discussions have been a long time coming, with disagreements between member states and intense lobbying from the airline industry prolonging the process [1][2][3]. Consumer organizations, like the vzbv and the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net), have spoken out against the proposed amendments, fearing they could weaken existing protections for air travelers [4][5].
Under the current rules, passengers are entitled to financial compensation if their flight is delayed by at least three hours upon arrival [2][4]. The EU's proposed changes would significantly increase the minimum delay required for qualification, with some estimates suggesting up to 85% of passengers who previously may have received compensation would no longer meet the criteria [4][5]. In addition to stricter compensation rules, airlines would potentially be granted more leeway to reroute passengers, which could result in longer waiting times and increased inconvenience [4][5].
Incorporated into the reform are some of the latest judgment from the Court of Justice of the EU, which has fortified the rights of air travelers, but the new amendments have not fully addressed these judicial precedents [4]. As of June 2025, the proposed reform is still under debate, leaving both consumers and airlines in a holding pattern, hoping for reforms that will strike a fair balance.
- The European Commission's proposed regulation overhaul for flight delay compensations has sparked concerns within the community, as advocates fear that changes to employment policies may lead to fewer travelers receiving the aid they deserve under existing flight delay compensation policies.
- As the EU's proposed regulation overhaul proceeds, industries such as finance and lifestyle, including airline companies, may significantly impact travelers' livelihoods, potentially weakening existing protections for air travelers under current flight delay compensation policies.
