"Free" cabin baggage and personal items
This doesn't mean free in the traditional sense. The cost of cabin baggage is already included in the ticket price. What changes is that airlines will be required to display ticket prices with carry-on baggage included from the outset. This price must appear clearly from the very beginning of the booking process. No more starting a reservation with only the base fare shown. The reform also allows passengers to bring one small personal item (a small bag) at no extra charge.
This reform introduces greater transparency and prevents prices from creeping up as you move through the booking process. It puts an end to paid carry-on baggage at low-cost carriers (Ryanair, EasyJet…). It also makes it easier to compare fares between airlines. The standard price displayed will include cabin baggage and a small personal item. Airlines will also have the option to offer a lower fare for passengers traveling without carry-on luggage.
Better protection for passengers with disabilities
The reform requires airlines to ensure that passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility are properly assisted all the way to the boarding gate. If these passengers miss their flight due to the airline's failure, they will be entitled to "compensation, re-routing and assistance from [the] airline."
A companion traveling with a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility will be entitled to an adjacent seat at no additional cost. The reform also requires airlines to provide the same arrangement for a caregiver accompanying a child under 14 or a pregnant woman.
Return leg of a round-trip ticket
The reform prohibits airlines from charging extra fees to passengers who only use the return leg of a round-trip ticket.
The law also simplifies and speeds up the compensation process. Passengers who opt for a refund will receive it automatically. Those affected by flight disruptions will receive clear instructions on how to submit a compensation claim within 4 days of completing their journey. The law specifies that passengers will not need to create an account on a specific platform or use a dedicated app to access these instructions. Passengers will then have 9 months to submit their claim. Airlines will have 30 days to pay out compensation or explain why they are not doing so, and must inform the passenger of their right to make a claim. Note that passengers will continue to be entitled to compensation for flight delays of at least 3 hours.
The text still needs to go before the Council of the European Union (scheduled for August), ahead of publication in the Official Journal. A further 20-day period will then follow before the reform is expected to come into force in 2027.
