In a rare move, the 27 member states reached an agreement on Thursday, June 5, on an issue that affects millions of Europeans: compensation for flight delays or cancellations. The topic is politically sensitive due to its broad impact, and as it also has major economic consequences for airlines. The issue has proven so contentious that it took member states more than a decade to reach a consensus. Even so, the meeting of transport ministers that was held on Thursday in Luxembourg nearly ended in failure.

Currently, passengers can claim up to €600 in compensation when their flight is delayed by at least three hours. In practice, airlines rarely inform customers of their rights, relying on a European Union regulation dating back to 2004, which has been clarified over the years by rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union. This complex legal landscape has allowed claims agencies to thrive.

Member states have now raised the thresholds for compensation. In the future, passengers will need to experience a delay of more than four hours to be eligible for €300 on an intra-European flight. For journeys of more than 3,500 kilometers, compensation will increase to €500, but will only be payable after a delay of more than six hours. Flights to overseas territories are treated as intra-European flights, but delays on these routes qualify for the long-haul compensation rate.

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