European Union transport ministers have reached a consensus on revised regulations regarding compensation for delayed flights, potentially reducing the number of passengers eligible for payouts. Consumer advocates have expressed concerns that raising the delay threshold could leave a significant portion of travelers without recourse.

Under the proposal, compensation eligibility would kick in after a four-hour delay for flights within the EU covering distances up to 3,500 kilometers. Longer flights could see compensation delayed until after a six-hour wait.

The current EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation mandates compensation based on flight distance: 250 euros for flights up to 1,500 km, 400 euros for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and 600 euros for flights exceeding 3,500 km. The EU Parliament is expected to debate the proposal in the coming months.

Airlines Advocate for Extended Delay Thresholds

Airlines have argued that they often cannot arrange replacement flights with crews within three hours, especially to smaller airports. The German Lobby Association BDL cited a survey by Institut YouGov, indicating that 73 percent of passengers would accept compensation after a five-hour delay if they reached their destination on the same day.

the survey also found that only 21 percent prioritized compensation after a three-hour delay, even if it meant arriving a day or two later.Airlines contend that the current rules incentivize avoiding replacement flights due to the high cost of compensation. They suggest a five-hour threshold would allow more time to arrange option flights.

“We focused on consumer protection,” said Federal Transport minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) after the decision in Luxembourg.

Consumer Groups Warn of Reduced Passenger Protections

Consumer organizations, including the European Consumer Association (BeUC), have criticized the proposal as an “unacceptable step back” for passenger rights.Polish Minister of Transport Dariusz Klimczak stated, “This is an chance to solve problems without deleting the flight,” following a meeting in Luxembourg.

Germany, along with Spain, Portugal, and Slovenia, had advocated for maintaining the three-hour threshold for all flights but were ultimately overruled. “We focused on consumer protection,” said Federal Transport minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) after the decision in Luxembourg. “We were therefore unable to agree to this proposed resolution.” The German government hopes to strengthen consumer protection during negotiations with the European Parliament.

“I believe that an even stronger regulation can be found in favor of passenger rights,” said EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, welcoming the agreement among EU countries after twelve years of discussions.

Parliamentary Opposition Anticipated

The European Parliament must approve the new rules, and insiders suggest they are likely to oppose the proposed changes and maintain the current three-hour compensation threshold.

Flight delays have surged in recent years,reaching a 25-year high in 2024.According to the European Aviation Control Organization (EuroControl),flight disruptions last year were the worst since the 1990s,with staffing shortages in air traffic control being a primary cause.