- The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) raises concern following the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council’s agreement on its position for revising the Passenger Rights Regulation, EU261.
- While the update includes some long-overdue improvements, such as the introduction of a binding, non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances, and brings much-needed legal clarity, it ultimately fails to reflect the specific realities of regional air transport and risks weakening Europe’s essential air connectivity.
Raising the delay threshold from three to five hours for short-haul flights, as originally proposed, was particularly vital for regional carriers. These airlines typically operate smaller aircraft on tighter schedules, without the flexibility of standby planes or reserve crews. The Council’s limited increase to just four hours is a step in the right direction but ultimately falls short.
Worse still, no exemptions have been granted for PSO (Public Service Obligation) flights. These routes are often the only link for remote or underserved communities and operate on extremely tight margins. Increasing compensation from €250 to €300, while denying PSO flights any flexibility, places an excessive burden on the carriers delivering essential services.
Other new obligations, including automatic reimbursement, the right to rebook after three hours on other carriers or transport modes, and potential self-rerouting of up to 400% of ticket value, further exacerbate the economic pressure on regional operators already stretched to maintain services.
“This was a chance to strike a fair balance between protecting passengers and safeguarding the regional air services that so many rely on,” said Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA. “Yet regional airlines have been overlooked. The revision in its current form risks damaging the financial sustainability of regional operations and, by extension, the connectivity of Europe’s regions.”
As the European Parliament now examines the text, ERA urges policymakers to reconsider. A one-size-fits-all approach fails Europe’s most vulnerable air routes. A fair and future-proof regulatory framework must support the economic realities of regional aviation and protect the connectivity that keeps communities and economies across Europe connected.
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