New air passenger rights signed: 3-hour compensation stays, small bag flies free

The EC261 overhaul is signed and awaits publication; it applies about a year later.

The first overhaul of the EU air passenger rules since 2004 was approved by Parliament on 7 July and the Council on 13 July 2026, and signed on 16 September. Compensation stays at €250, €400 or €600 for arrivals more than 3 hours late; on the longest flights airlines may halve the €600 if the delay is under 4 hours. A personal item up to 40×30×15 cm must fly free in the cabin, and booking sites must show by default the fare that includes a cabin bag — the cabin bag itself is not free. Airlines may no longer cancel your return flight because you missed the outbound one.

For youNothing changes yet. Until the new rules apply, today’s EC261 rights and our claim tool work exactly as before.

Next: Publication in the Official Journal is pending. The rules enter into force 20 days after publication and apply 12 months later, so expect late 2027.

Verified against the sources above on 29 September 2026. Plain-language summary — not the legal text and not legal advice.