New EU passenger rights: cancelled flights booked via travel agents refunded within 14 days

Booked a flight through a travel agent or booking site, and the airline cancelled it? Under new EU passenger rights rules, you'll get a full refund within 14 days, booking fees included. The European Parliament approved the rules on Tuesday 20 October 2026, and they apply from 23 October 2027.

There's more good news: compensation isn't affected. EU261 compensation of €250, €400 or €600 per passenger stays the same. And if you've ever chased a cancelled flight refund back and forth between an airline and a booking site, Flight Delayed can take care of it.

Check if you're owed compensation.

What did the European Parliament vote on?

On Tuesday 20 October 2026, the European Parliament adopted a regulation that strengthens the enforcement of EU passenger rights. It passed with 652 votes in favour, 2 against and 8 abstentions. The rules cover air, rail, bus, coach and ferry travel, but the biggest changes concern flights.

The vote complements the EU261 reform, the first overhaul of EU air passenger rights since 2004. Earlier this year, the EU adopted an update of EU261 (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004), now published as Regulation (EU) 2026/2202. Tuesday's regulation adds clear refund rules for bookings made through a third party, plus stronger powers for national authorities to check that airlines respect passenger rights.

The rapporteur, Italian MEP Matteo Ricci, said lawmakers were “prioritising the rights of our citizens over the profits of airlines”.

Flight cancelled and booked through a travel agent or third party: who refunds you?

If you booked through a travel agent, a booking site or another online platform, you'll be treated the same as a passenger who booked directly with the airline. Until now, many travellers got stuck between the two, with neither the airline nor the agency taking responsibility for the refund.

Under the new rules, the money follows a fixed route. The airline refunds the travel agent or booking site, which must pass the full amount on to you. And if the agency doesn't pay on time, the airline must step in and refund you directly.

Travel agents and booking sites must also tell you at the moment of booking how refunds work if your flight is cancelled, so the rules are no longer hidden in the small print.

The new rules don't apply to flights booked as part of a package holiday, which are covered by separate EU package travel rules.

Are booking fees refundable?

Yes. If your flight is cancelled, you're entitled to a full refund that includes any intermediation fee, the official EU term for a booking fee, service fee or agency fee. Until now, whether these fees had to be paid back was often disputed, and many passengers simply lost them.

There is one exception. Small independent travel agencies (micro-enterprises) can keep part of their booking fee, but only if they clearly tell you the amount at the start of the booking process. For all other travel agents and booking sites, the obligation to refund booking fees applies without exception.

Travel agencies aren't happy about this. Their European association ECTAA argues that agencies will have to refund fees for work already done, such as advice and support during disruptions. The German Travel Association (DRV) adds that agencies become liable for cancellations that are entirely the airline's responsibility.

How long does a flight refund take under the new rules?

A refund for a cancelled flight booked through a third party must reach you within 14 days. The deadline is split in two:

1. Within 7 days: the airline transfers the refund to the travel agent or booking site.
2. Within a further 7 days: the agency transfers the full amount, including the booking fee, to you.

If you booked directly with the airline, nothing changes: under EU261 the airline must refund a cancelled flight within 7 days. And it has to be money: a voucher is only allowed if you agree to it.

What other air passenger rights are new?

The regulation adds three more improvements for travellers:

• A standard EU claim form: one form for refund and compensation claims, available on the European Commission website in all EU languages and valid for all modes of transport.
• Free companion for passengers with a disability: where necessary, a companion can fly free of charge, as is already the case on trains, buses and ships.
• Stronger enforcement: national enforcement bodies get more powers to investigate airlines, including audits and inspections, even before passengers complain.

When do the new EU passenger rights rules apply?

The new rules apply from 23 October 2027. Before that, the Council of the EU still has to formally approve the regulation, which is considered a formality, and it must be published in the Official Journal.

Until then, EU261 applies in its current form. After that, it stays in force, including the changes made by both the EU261 reform and Tuesday's regulation.

The new rules apply to the same flights as EU261: flights departing from the EU, and flights into the EU on an EU airline, including from the UK. Flights departing the UK on a UK or non-EU airline fall under UK261, which hasn't adopted these changes.

Does EU flight compensation change?

Tuesday's vote doesn't touch compensation, and the separate EU261 reform keeps the compensation amounts and the 3-hour threshold exactly as they are. During the negotiations on that reform, EU governments wanted passengers to wait longer before qualifying, with a threshold of up to 6 hours, and to receive smaller payments, but the Parliament rejected this. You can usually still claim compensation for a flight delay of 3 hours or more at arrival, a flight cancellation less than 14 days before departure, or denied boarding due to overbooking.

Compensation isn't due when the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather, but it's up to the airline to prove them. A service like Flight Delayed takes care of the whole claim for you, from checking your eligibility to following up if the airline refuses.

Flight delayed or cancelled now? Claim your compensation

You don't have to wait until 2027. If your flight was delayed by 3 hours or more, cancelled less than 14 days before departure or overbooked, you may already be owed up to €600 per passenger under EU261, even if you booked through a travel agency.

Flight Delayed helps you check whether you're owed compensation on a no win, no fee basis.

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