European Parliament hits back in battle over passenger rights

Calling it a betrayal of passengers, unacceptable, and impossible to justify to the public, the European Parliament has fiercely criticized the European Council’s proposal to strip air travelers of their rights. In a heated hour-long debate, MEPs condemned the influence of lobbying and major airlines, insisting that they must not be allowed to dictate policy.

Air passenger rights at risk: what’s the EU Council’s proposal? 

On June 5th, 2025, the European Council approved a highly controversial proposal to revise EU261, the regulation that has protected air passenger rights across the European Union for over two decades. The proposed changes heavily favor airline interests, while rolling back essential protections for travelers.

Under the Council’s draft, compensation rules would become significantly stricter, potentially disqualifying up to 60% of passengers who are currently eligible under the existing regulation. The most alarming changes include:

• Raising the delay threshold for compensation from 3 hours to 4 or even 6 hours, depending on flight distance.
• Reducing compensation amounts, making it harder for passengers to receive fair reimbursement for delays and disruptions.

European Parliament takes up the fight

On June 17th, the European Parliament had its first opportunity to respond to the European Council’s proposal—and it did so in no uncertain terms. As one MEP aptly noted in the final moments of the debate, rarely has the Parliament been so united: this erosion of passenger rights is unacceptable, and the Parliament is determined to oppose any attempt to weaken them. Proposals to increase the delay threshold for compensation to four or even six hours, reduce compensation amounts, exploit loopholes to avoid payouts, and normalize extra fees for luggage were sharply criticized.

Throughout the debate, several described the Council’s move as outright “backstabbing”—a word used bluntly by Roman Haider and Rosa Serrano Sierra. Others, like Jan-Christoph Oetjen and Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, called it a direct attack on passenger rights. Ernő Schaller-Baross accused airlines of cynically dodging their responsibilities ever since the COVID-19 crisis, while Serrano Sierra added that the proposal was “unacceptable and unexplainable to our EU citizens.” Ana Miranda Paz summed up a shared concern: that lobbying by major airlines is increasingly steering EU decisions—leaving passengers behind.

European consumer organizations such as BEUC had already voiced strong opposition last week, and the Parliament is now echoing that stance. “But the fight is far from over,” warns Tom van Bokhoven of Flight Delayed UK. “The airline lobby continues its relentless pressure at the expense of passengers and has even claimed the current proposals don’t go far enough—arguing that passengers still have too many rights. When the vote comes, the Parliament must stand firm.”

A vote on the proposal is expected in September.

Sign the petition and #SaveYourPassengerRights

The Council’s position marks a major step backward for passenger rights, prioritizing airline profit margins over consumer protection. Despite the positive, pro-passenger voices coming from the Parliament, the fight is far from over. The final vote on the proposal is expected in September, and if approved in its current form, it would seriously undermine the rights of millions of European air travelers.

In response, the Association of Passenger Rights Advocates (APRA) has launched a petition calling on EU lawmakers to reject the Council’s proposal and defend strong, enforceable protections for passengers. Already, around 40,000 people have signed in support of fair treatment and meaningful compensation.

Join the fight to protect your rights: sign the petition today!