EU Air Passenger Rights Back in Focus: What Could Change in Compensation, Carry-on Baggage, and Rebooking Before Summer 2026?

On May 19, 2026, the European Parliament and the Council held another interinstitutional consultation on the reform of EU air passenger rights, the package of rules that could determine the future of compensation rights for flight delays, cancellations, overbookings, and passengers. Although no final agreement has been reached yet, the current negotiation phase is particularly important before the summer peak season, as it may decide how strong the protection will remain in the coming years for passengers departing from or arriving in the European Union.

For Hungarian travelers, this is not a theoretical debate. Traffic from Budapest and other airports in the region will be high again in the summer months, with both discount and traditional airlines intensifying their schedules, while delays, connection problems, and schedule disruptions are more common during the peak period. This is why it is of great importance whether the EU reform ultimately preserves the current level of passenger protection or weakens it in certain areas.

Why Has This Become Urgent Again?

The basis of EU air passenger rights today is still the regulatory framework known since 2004. This ensures, among other things, that passengers can claim compensation in certain cases if their flight is significantly delayed, cancelled, or if they are denied boarding. However, the system has been awaiting reform for a long time: member states, airlines, and the European Parliament have been arguing for years about how to make the rules clearer and more modern at the same time.

The dossier returned to the spotlight in May 2026 because, according to information from the European Parliament, another round of negotiations was held between representatives of the Parliament and the Council on May 19. According to the parliamentary communiqué, the goal is to try to reach an agreement by mid-June 2026. This means that in the coming weeks, it may be decided in which direction European air passenger protection will move.

The timing is not accidental. With the approach of the summer travel season, the issue of passenger rights is particularly sensitive every year, as any disruption in the aviation system during the busiest periods quickly becomes felt by passengers as well.

What Remains in Effect Now Until New Rules Are Set?

The most important practical piece of information is that the current EU rules remain in effect. According to the EU's official passenger information page, passengers today may still be entitled to compensation of 250, 400, or 600 euros if they arrive at their final destination at least three hours late, provided that the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. This same protection also applies in several cases to flight cancellations and denied boarding.

The current system is not just about monetary compensation. In certain situations, the passenger can choose between a ticket refund and rebooking; furthermore, they may be entitled to care, such as information, refreshments, meals, or accommodation if necessary. In other words, those departing from Budapest this summer do not have to wait for the end of the reform to have rights: the current rules are fully in effect until then.

This point is crucial because the political debate can easily create the impression that passenger rights have temporarily become uncertain. This is not the case. The uncertainty does not concern current entitlements, but rather whether these rights will be strengthened, become simpler, or have certain elements narrowed in the coming years.

What Is the Biggest Dispute Between the Parliament and the Council?

According to the parliamentary position adopted in January 2026, the European Parliament insists that the delay threshold for compensation remain three hours. Members of Parliament also want compensation levels not to decrease and for passengers to continue to receive strong protection in the event of flight delays, cancellations, or denied boarding.

The Parliament also supports changes that would matter a lot in practice. For example, the introduction of pre-filled applications for compensation and refunds, so that passengers do not have to assemble their claims entirely from scratch. Members of Parliament also urge that passengers be allowed to carry one personal item and one small piece of carry-on baggage, up to a weight limit of seven kilograms, free of charge.

The protection of passengers traveling with children or passengers with reduced mobility is also a highlighted element. According to the parliamentary position, adults accompanying such passengers should be able to sit next to each other without an extra fee. This is a particularly important issue during summer family trips and would be an easily understandable change with direct benefit for the Hungarian traveling public.

The Council's previous position, however, is more reserved on several points. According to the parliamentary communiqué, the side representing the governments of the member states would support a higher, four-to-six-hour delay threshold for compensation, depending on the flight distance. This difference is not a technical detail: if the threshold were higher, many passengers who are currently entitled to compensation would be excluded from it.

Why Is the Three-Hour Limit So Important?

The three-hour rule is one of the most well-known elements of the current system. For the average passenger, this is the easy-to-remember threshold above which the possibility of compensation may arise if the delay was not due to an extraordinary cause. If this limit were raised to four, five, or six hours on certain routes, it would immediately reduce the number of actually compensated cases.

This would be particularly sensitive for shorter European trips. For summer flights departing from Budapest, which typically have a flight time of two to three hours, a multi-hour disruption can cause serious schedule, accommodation, or connection losses even if the delay eventually does not reach six hours. Therefore, it matters to Hungarian passengers where future regulations draw the compensation line.

The Parliament's position on this issue is clear: the existing level of protection must be maintained. The stakes of the negotiations, therefore, are not merely whether there will be a more modern regulation, but also whether a simpler and clearer system will go hand in hand with a weakening of actual passenger protection.

Not Just About Compensation: Rebooking, Carry-on Baggage, Complaint Handling

One of the most important lessons from the case is that the reform is about much more than the amounts due after delays. According to the Parliament, it is important that passengers can more easily obtain rebooking and do not get lost in lengthy complaint handling processes. This is especially important when a quick new solution is needed due to a missed connection or a cancelled flight.

The issue of carry-on baggage is also a topic that goes far beyond convenience in the European market based on the low-cost model. The Parliament supports making one personal item and one small piece of carry-on baggage part of the basic right free of charge. In practice, this could mean more transparent ticket prices and fewer subsequent surprises, especially for passengers embarking on short city visits or a few days' summer trip.

The simplification of complaint handling is not a secondary issue either. Many people do not exercise their rights not because they are not entitled to them, but because they feel the procedure is too complicated, time-consuming, or uncertain. Pre-filled applications, clearer information, and a faster response obligation are therefore at least as essential as the compensation amount itself.

What Does All This Mean for Hungarian Travelers in Summer 2026?

In the short term, the most important message is that summer passengers should continue to know and exercise their current rights. If a flight is delayed by at least three hours upon final arrival, or if a cancellation, overbooking, or connection problem occurs, there is still a basis for submitting a claim today. In such cases, it is advisable for the passenger to keep booking data, the boarding pass, notifications regarding the delay, and receipts for all related costs.

In the medium term, the question is what balance the 2026 reform will bring. Clearer, more predictable rules are important for airlines, and EU institutions recognize this. From the passengers' perspective, however, predictability is only a real advantage if it does not come with fewer cases, more difficulty, or lower amounts for obtaining compensation.

Due to the characteristics of the Hungarian market, this is particularly relevant. Because of Budapest's strong low-cost airline presence, the weight of short and medium-haul European routes, and the seasonal peak traffic, many Hungarian passengers are affected exactly in the situations that the Brussels and Strasbourg negotiations are about. The debate is therefore actually also about how much the passenger protection promise will be worth in practice for a summer departure from Budapest.

It Is Worth Watching the Coming Weeks

Since the European Parliament indicated after the May 19 consultation that they are trying to reach an agreement by mid-June, the coming weeks will be specifically important. If a deal is reached, it will be clearer how the current three-hour threshold, the compensation amounts, the carry-on baggage rules, and the rebooking obligations will remain or be modified.

Until then, however, it is not the task of travelers to speculate, but to be aware of their rights currently in effect. In this broader passenger rights context, it is worth recalling that the EU reform debate does not only affect flying: we previously wrote about what the EU's new railway passenger rights and single-ticket package could mean for Hungarian travelers. The common denominator in every mode of transport is the same: the passenger can only achieve real protection if the rules are clear, consistent, and enforceable in practice.

Summary

The reform of EU air passenger rights entered another important negotiation phase on May 19, 2026, and this development is much more than a Brussels institutional debate. The current consultations are about whether Hungarian and other European passengers can count on protection as strong as the current one in the future in the event of flight delays, cancellations, overbookings, or connection disruptions. Until there is a new agreement, the current rules remain in effect, meaning the compensation system linked to the three-hour delay remains active. In the coming weeks, however, it may be decided whether this protection remains unchanged or whether the simplification of the system goes hand in hand with a narrowing of certain passenger rights.