MEPs claim victory after facing down European capitals and airline lobbyists over compensation rights
The European Parliament has had the last word on the hard-fought EU air passenger rights reform deal, which its 27 delegates in make-or-break negotiations officially confirmed just hours before a final legal deadline would kick in on Monday evening.
Their unanimous vote concludes 13 years of negotiations, and a successful parliamentary campaign to retain statutory compensation in the event of cancellation or delay exceeding 3 hours. European capitals had sided with airlines in a bid to extend the delay thresholds and reduce some entitlements.
The president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said in a statement that the agreement would “strengthen the rights of air passengers across Europe”.
“Parliament fought hard to make travel fairer and procedures clearer, and this is what we have delivered,” the Maltese lawmaker said.
