EU Air Passenger Rights May Change: What Should Hungarian Travelers Watch for Before the Summer Season?

The reform of air passenger rights in the European Union has reached a decisive stage again: in negotiations between the Parliament and the Council in early June, compensation after delays, pre-filled complaint forms, carry-on luggage, and no-show rules continue to be the most sensitive issues. The most important message for Hungarian travelers right now is that current rights have not changed for the time being, but the emerging compromise could significantly influence how easy it is to get money back or claim compensation after a problematic flight in the coming years.

At the beginning of the summer travel season, the long-overdue transformation of EU air passenger rights rules is receiving particular attention in Brussels. The topic is not just a legal-technical debate: it directly affects those departing for vacation from Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava, or other European airports, traveling overseas with transfers, or booking a weekend city break with a low-cost carrier. A delay, cancellation, or missed connection today can still quickly cause additional costs of tens or hundreds of thousands of forints, which is why the deadlines, amounts, and evidentiary rules remaining in the system matter.

According to a May briefing from the European Parliament, MEPs continue to insist that passengers retain the possibility of compensation, as well as the right to reimbursement or rerouting, in the event of an arrival delay exceeding three hours, flight cancellation, or denied boarding. In contrast, the Council's previous position would suggest longer delay thresholds: compensation would be due after four hours for shorter and intra-EU flights, and after six hours for journeys longer than 3,500 kilometers. The essence of the debate, therefore, is whether the new rules will actually make the passengers' situation simpler and more predictable, or whether fewer travelers will receive monetary compensation in practice.

Why has the topic become urgent now?

The EU's current air passenger rights system is based on rules adopted in 2004, which have since been refined by court decisions and guidelines. Over the last two decades, the regulation has provided relatively strong protection for millions of European passengers, but airlines, consumer protection organizations, and member states have long debated which points work well and where the procedure is too complex.

The Council's own background material acknowledges that several concepts and procedures are not sufficiently clear, which is why the application of rights may differ across member states, and passengers often find it difficult to actually enforce what they are entitled to on paper. This is a familiar situation for Hungarian travelers: after a cancelled or significantly delayed flight, it is often necessary to interpret separately who to turn to, what document to submit, how much time the airline has to respond, and whether the given problem counts as an extraordinary circumstance.

The current negotiations are particularly important because, during the summer season, air transport simultaneously struggles with strong travel demand, weather risks, strikes, capacity constraints, and cost pressures. The consumer side fears that raising compensation thresholds would reduce airlines' incentives for punctual operation. The aviation side, however, has long emphasized the need for clearer rules and a system that better takes operational realities into account.

What remains in effect for passengers now?

The most important practical point: Hungarian travelers must currently continue to rely on the effective EU rules. These apply if the flight operates within the EU, if it departs from the EU to a third country, or if it arrives in the EU from outside the EU and is operated by a Union carrier. The EU system also extends to Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, which is particularly relevant for summer and winter European travels.

According to current rules, when a flight is cancelled, the passenger can basically choose from three options: reimbursement of the ticket price, the earliest possible rerouting to the final destination, or later rerouting under similar conditions. If the passenger is already at the airport and must wait, the airline must provide proportional care, such as food, refreshments, and, if necessary, accommodation and transport between the accommodation and the airport.

In the case of delays, the monetary compensation currently in effect is linked to the arrival delay. If the passenger arrives at the final destination at least three hours late, and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances, compensation of 250, 400, or 600 euros may arise depending on the distance. For connections, the final arrival time counts, provided that the flights were part of a single booking and EU passenger rights rules are applicable.

This is especially important for Hungarian travelers, as many long-haul routes still operate with transfers. Someone flying from Budapest to America, Asia, or North Africa via a Western European hub, for example, is concerned not only with the delay of the first leg but also with how much later they arrive at the end of the total booking. Before departure, it is worth checking the current status of flights departing from Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport, and in case of major disruptions, the airline's own app and emails should also be monitored.

What could change with the upcoming reform?

The Council's position adopted in 2025 would include several new or refined rights. These would include, for example, a clearer rerouting obligation, more detailed regulation of assistance, the handling of tarmac delays (long waits on the aircraft), and stricter information and response obligations for airlines. According to the proposal, if the airline does not provide adequate rerouting within a certain time, the passenger could arrange alternative travel themselves and claim the cost up to a certain limit.

The disputed point, however, remains the compensation threshold. According to the Council's proposal, monetary compensation would begin at four hours for distances under 3,500 kilometers and within the EU, and at six hours for distances over 3,500 kilometers. Along with this, the amounts would also change: 300 euros for shorter and intra-EU journeys, and 500 euros for longer ones, according to the Council's position. This would mean a higher amount in some cases for short-haul travelers, but many passengers who are currently entitled to compensation for delays between three and four hours could be excluded. For long-haul flights, the six-hour threshold would be an even greater change compared to the current three-hour logic.

The European Parliament is approaching from a different angle: MEPs emphasize maintaining the current three-hour basic logic, making it easier for passengers to be informed, and simplifying complaint handling. Consumer protection organizations, including BEUC and several European civil society organizations, warned in a joint call at the end of May that raising the thresholds would, in their view, significantly reduce the number of people who actually receive compensation. The organizations specifically highlighted the importance of pre-filled compensation and reimbursement forms, as many passengers today simply do not know how to start the claim process.

Carry-on luggage, no-show, and family seating: not just about delays

The reform is not exclusively about delays and cancellations. One visible part of the negotiations is the issue of carry-on luggage: the consumer side would like a reasonably sized personal item and carry-on bag to be clearly included in the basic ticket price. This can be particularly sensitive for low-cost travel, where the final price is often much higher than the initial tariff due to luggage, seat, and check-in fees.

The no-show rule can also affect many travelers. This is the practice where an airline may cancel the return or subsequent leg if the passenger did not fly the first leg. The Council's position would already include a restriction and raise the right to compensation for cases where the passenger is not allowed to board the return flight because of this. The Parliament and consumer advocates want a stronger, clearer ban.

The reform could also be significant for families and those traveling with disabilities or reduced mobility. The negotiations include the seating of those traveling with small children next to each other, the handling of mobility aids, and protection against delays or lack of assistance. These are not necessarily as visible as the 250-600 euro compensation, but they often influence the actual travel experience even more strongly.

What does this mean for Hungarian travelers in practice?

In the short term, the most important advice is that no one should assume the new rules are already in effect. If a flight delay, cancellation, or denied boarding occurs in the summer of 2026, the passenger must still act based on the current EU rules. It is worth keeping the boarding pass, the booking confirmation, the airline's messages, a photo of the airport display board, and receipts for all extra costs. If the airline does not provide food, accommodation, or rerouting, the passenger will only have a chance to reclaim the costs later with documentation.

Those departing from Budapest, especially for early morning or late evening flights, should leave extra time to get to the airport. In the event of major disruptions, not only the flight status matters, but also whether the passenger appears on time at check-in and the boarding gate. If the delay occurs on the passenger's side, for example, arriving too late at the gate, it is not a classic case of the EU compensation system. Those who want more reliable airport access can check the Budapest airport transfer and taxi options in advance, especially during peak periods or with a lot of luggage.

For connecting flights, it is important that the legs are on a single booking. If the passenger buys tickets separately and misses the second flight due to the delay of the first, the protection may be much weaker, because airlines do not necessarily treat the two legs as a single journey. For more expensive long-haul journeys, it is therefore often worth buying the entire route in a single booking, even if separate tickets seem cheaper at first glance.

What should be watched for in the coming weeks?

The goal of the Brussels negotiations is for the Parliament and the Council to find a compromise by mid-June. However, the final text will only be truly interpretable for travelers once it becomes clear exactly which delay thresholds, which compensation amounts, which carry-on luggage rules, and which complaint handling deadlines are included. Until then, every claim that speaks of the reduction or expansion of rights as a finished fact should be handled with caution.

For Hungarian travelers, the biggest stake of the reform is predictability. A good regulatory system does not just say whether money is due after a three-, four-, or six-hour delay, but also how the passenger can enforce their right quickly and without unnecessary administration. If the new system actually brings pre-filled forms, clear response deadlines, and stronger information, it that could help many travelers. However, if raising the compensation thresholds becomes the priority, a system that is simpler on paper may mean fewer compensated cases in practice.

In the coming weeks, therefore, it is worth following the official communication from the European Parliament, the Council, and the European Commission. For summer trips, the old but important rule remains: always have the booking saved, keep passenger rights information at hand, and in case of a problem, the first written response should be requested directly from the operating airline. The legislation may change, but a well-documented journey remains the passenger's strongest protection.