Travel
Delayed flight? It could soon be harder for you to claim compensation from airlines
Proposals to water down passenger flight delay compensation rules are being discussed in Brussels, risking Europe’s claim to having the most passenger-friendly skies in the world.
Air passengers in Europe enjoy some of the best consumer protections in the world. But the European Union is contemplating watering down these passenger-friendly measures, which could leave travellers out of pocket.
The current regulation, known as EU261, has been in place since 2005, providing passengers with compensation and support in the event their trip doesn’t go to plan. A revision to these rules has been debated since 2013, but has resurfaced this week as Brussels once again comes under pressure from airlines and lobbying groups.
It would mean the amount of time your flight needs to be delayed before compensation is paid could change.
Currently, passengers must arrive at their destination at least three hours late in order for EU261 to apply. A new proposal led by Poland, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, could see this threshold raised to at least five hours.
“These changes would be hugely detrimental for consumers,” says Coby Benson, flight delay compensation solicitor at Bott & Co, noting that the current three-hour threshold incentivises airlines to run a punctual operation. “If the threshold was raised to five hours, airlines would face no penalty for those lengthy delays and therefore passenger inconvenience will increase.”
What is EU261 and how does it protect passengers?
Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, commonly referred to as EU261, is a European Union regulation that establishes the rights of air passengers in cases of flight delays, cancellations, and denied boarding. It ensures passengers are entitled to compensation, assistance, and reimbursement when their travel plans go wrong.
EU261 applies to any flight departing from an EU airport, regardless of the airline’s nationality, and flights arriving at EU airports if they’re operated by an EU airline. It does not cover flights heading to Europe on non-EU airlines, or non-European flights that have a layover in Europe.
The regulation covers all member states plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. The UK has adopted the same criteria for compensation, with the law referred to as UK261.
Currently, passengers are entitled to compensation if they are delayed for more than three hours, if the flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure, and if they were denied boarding because the flight was overbooked.
Compensation is not payable for ‘extraordinary circumstances,’ which include extreme weather, air traffic control restrictions, strikes not involving the airline’s staff, and political instability.
The amount of compensation you get will depend on the length of the delay and the distance of your flight. The maximum payable for any one claim is €600, which would involve a flight of more than 3,500 km and a delay of four hours plus.
“The importance of reliable and safe travel for consumers has been highlighted by the flight chaos of recent summers and the coronavirus pandemic,” Karolina Wojtal, head of the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in Germany, told Euronews Travel. “Far too often, passengers are faced with cancelled or delayed flights.”
According to data from flight compensation company Skycop, almost 2 per cent of departures from EU airports were either significantly delayed or cancelled in 2024. Between June and August, the busiest travel months, more than 60,000 flights were disrupted to the extent they were covered by EU261. Skycop estimates the total bill at €2 billion in passenger compensation.
What are the changes to flight compensation currently being considered?
The changes being debated now are the same ones proposed in 2013. These include introducing a structured compensation scheme for delays, moving from the current three-hour threshold to five hours for short-haul, nine hours for medium-haul and as long as 12 hours for the longest flights.
“Such a revision would significantly weaken passenger rights by raising the compensation thresholds,” says Reinhold Schranz, head of the European Consumer Centre in Austria. “This would lead to a situation where nearly 85 per cent of affected passengers would no longer be entitled to compensation—since most recorded delays fall between 2 and 4 hours.”
Airlines4Europe, an airline association representing 70 per cent of European air traffic, argues that extending the flight delay to five hours would actually result in more passengers getting to their destinations. They say it “would act as a strong incentive for airlines to solve any possible delays before reaching the threshold” and avoid a cancellation of the flight.
However, Schranz warns that passengers could face increased delays if the protections are weakened. “As compensation for cancellations remains due regardless of delay duration, airlines might be incentivised to delay flights rather than cancel them to avoid paying compensation,” he added.
Should airlines be paying passengers more compensation?
Despite the real term value of payouts changing due to inflation, the amounts paid under EU261 haven’t changed in two decades.
AirAdvisor, a flight compensation company, says reforms are needed to EU261 to maintain its value to consumers.
“EU261 compensation has been stagnant for two decades, and inflation has eroded its value,” says Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor. “If EU regulators don’t adjust these rates, they will fail to incentivise airlines or provide meaningful compensation to passengers. Right now, passengers may not even bother claiming compensation for amounts as low as €250.”
Many airlines are completely opposed to EU261, particularly the low-cost and short-haul operators. With passengers paying as little as €20 for a flight on Ryanair, the airline can be left severely out of pocket if dozens of people claim compensation for a delay.
“We think the amounts are disproportionate,” Philip Meeson, CEO of Jet2, told the Independent. “We think it would be a great idea to review the rules and make them proportionate.”
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has long demanded a review of the rules. “They are a mess,” says director general Willie Walsh. “They cost airlines €5 billion a year and do nothing to drive improvements in some of the worst-performing corners of the aviation system or improve the flying experience.”
For the ECC in Germany, the focus is on maintaining existing standards rather than increasing the amounts payable. Head Karolina Wotjal points out that time thresholds are crucial to triggering payment, and that if these were changed, even higher compensation amounts wouldn’t help the consumer as fewer people would be able to claim.
“Consumers see the existence of strong passenger rights as a success for the EU,” says Wotjal. “Reducing their rights at this political moment is not a good signal at all.”
When will passenger compensation for flight delays change?
With new proposals floated and in discussion, there is now a long road ahead to get any changes cemented into legislation. Conversations are likely to continue over the coming months, with outcomes going through the European Parliament and the Council, both of which would have to sign off on the final text.
When the UK ‘Brexited’ the EU, it had the option to stop following the directives of the Union. However, it adopted EU261 into UK law, and passengers from the UK are allowed the same protections for flights as their European counterparts.
Should the rule change in the EU, it wouldn’t naturally alter in the UK. However, as Benson notes, “it remains to be seen whether the UK government would look to follow suit and voluntarily seek to bring our law in line with Europe.”
For now, the three-hour rule remains in place, so travellers who are delayed can still seek compensation. But the outcome of discussions in Brussels could have far-reaching impacts on passenger rights in Europe.
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The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.
Starting 2 April 2025, all EU (except Irish nationals), EEA, and Swiss citizens need ETA approval to enter the UK.
The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
To obtain the visa waiver, which costs £10 (€12) from today or £16 (€19) from 9 April, travellers need to complete an online process – but some British citizens with dual nationality are already flagging issues.
How to apply for the UK’s ETA visa waiver
Travellers can either use the official mobile app, which can be downloaded from the UK government website, or apply online here.
To complete the application, you need the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.
The government advises applying at least three working days before your trip.
You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.
Though it seems pretty simple, the application process has left a handful of British dual nationals confused about whether they need to apply for the visa waiver or not.
ETA application issues for British dual nationals
In theory, British citizens with dual nationality do not need ETA and should be able to travel to the UK on whatever passport they choose.
But confusion has arisen for those who don’t have a British passport because theirs is expired, lost, or they were never issued with one.
If they choose to travel on their EU passport, the process of applying for ETA – and whether it is necessary – remains unclear.
The ETA application form asks travellers to declare any other nationalities, but the drop-down menu does not give the option to select ‘British citizen’.
Should British dual nationals continue with their application without declaring their ‘secondary’ nationality, they would theoretically be forced to give misinformation about their dual nationality.
Euronews Travel posed the question to an ETA advisor from the Home Office on their web chat.
The advisor refused to give guidance about not declaring British nationality on the ETA form. They stated that if you are a dual citizen with British/Irish citizenship, you do not need an ETA.
However, “you prove your permission to travel using your valid British/Irish passport or other passport containing a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the UK.”
When asked what to do if the traveller is not in possession of any of these documents, the advisor responded, “You either need to apply for a British passport or a certificate of entitlement”.
Renewing a UK passport from overseas costs £101 (€123), while a certificate of entitlement comes with a £550 (€658) fee. Both application processes take several weeks.
Euronews Travel has reached out to the Home Office for official guidance.
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Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik.
A volcano began erupting in southwestern Iceland on Tuesday as tourists at the nearby Blue Lagoon and residents of local communities were evacuated.
Flames and smoke shot through the air as a fissure opened near the town of Grindavík, about 50 kilometres southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, where roughly 40 homes have been evacuated, according to national broadcaster RUV.
Residents mostly vacated the community, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in 2023 when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years.
A swarm of small earthquakes began at around 6:30am local time on 1 April, similar to previous eruptions. The eruption just north of the protective barrier near Grindavík then began at 9:45am, according to Iceland’s Met Office (IMO).
Warning sirens started to sound when the orange-red fissure reached the town’s defence walls at around 10am. IMO has said that the fissure is now around 700 metres long, and “it cannot be ruled out that it may continue to open further south.”
Iceland sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic and, on average, sees one eruption every four to five years.
Experts have warned that volcanic activity in the Reykjanes peninsula has entered a new era, with the frequency of eruptions having surged. This is the 11th such event to have occurred since 2021, when this new eruption period began.
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon closed until further notice
The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions. Authorities evacuated guests from the geothermal spa, moving them to nearby hotels when it became clear an eruption was imminent.
It will remain closed through 1 April, and the situation will be assessed later on, according to a message posted on the Blue Lagoon’s website. All guests with bookings during this temporary closure will be contacted.
A ‘red alert’ has been issued for the town of Grindavík, and the area around it is closed off. It will remain closed until further notice.
Travellers have been asked to respect the closures and instructions from local authorities and to stay away while conditions are being assessed, according to Safe Travel Iceland.
During previous eruptions, tourists and locals keen to see the majestic event first-hand have been repeatedly warned to stay away from Reykjanes.
Though it is yet to be updated for the most recent eruption, the UK’s FCDO says eruptions and earthquakes are common in Iceland due to the country’s nature geography.
“In the event of an eruption or wider seismic activity follow the latest advice issued by the authorities,” it says. It adds that travellers should regularly check for alerts and advice from the Icelandic Tourism Board, Icelandic Met Office, Safe Travel Iceland and the Almannavarnir Facebook Page.
The effects of the eruption are currently localised and have not caused any problems for the nearby Keflavík airport- Iceland’s main international airport.
Though ash clouds from previous volcanic eruptions in Iceland have had disrupted international air travel, this one is not expected to do so.
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Travel
What is the ETA? European travellers need €12 entry permit to visit the UK starting this week
Read our full guide to the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): who needs it, how long it’s valid and how to apply.
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.
Starting 2 April 2025, all European visitors will need ETA approval – or, for some non-EU nationals, a visa – to enter the UK.
The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Read on for details on cost, validity and how to get it.
What is the ETA?
The ETA replaces the single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity.
The UK government notes that it is not a visa and does not permit entry into the UK. Rather, it authorises a person to travel to the UK.
The ETA is now required for all eligible nationalities. You can find the full list of countries here.
How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?
Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app and can expect a decision emailed within three days.
Everyone travelling needs to apply, including babies and children, but you can apply for other people.
The UK government says its app is the quickest and easiest way to apply for an ETA. You can download the ETA app from the UK government website.
If you cannot download the app, you can also apply online here.
To complete the application, make sure you have on hand the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.
You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.
When to apply for your ETA
The government says: “You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision.”
Considering most applicants will get a decision within three days, it can be assumed you should apply at least three ahead of travelling to the UK, though you can do it much further in advance.
How much does the UK ETA cost?
Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a fee is attached to the application process.
The ETA costs £10 (approximately €12 at the time of writing), rising to £16 (€19) on 9 April 2025.
How long is the ETA valid?
An ETA lasts for two years. You do not need to apply again during this time.
You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during the period of validity, but you cannot stay for longer than six months on one trip. Check the UK government website for more details on what you can and cannot do on an ETA.
Note that you will need to apply for a new ETA if you get a new passport, as your ETA is linked to it.
Will I need a visa to enter the UK?
As mentioned above, the ETA isn’t a visa, but it does grant permission to enter the country.
All visitors who don’t currently require a visa will need to get an ETA before they travel. This includes those who do not currently need to submit any form of application to visit the UK. US, Canadian, Australian and European citizens need an ETA even for short stays or transiting through the UK, for example.
Travellers from countries that don’t have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will still have to apply for the correct visa and an ETA.
If you don’t apply before your trip, the government says you could be fined, though no further details have been given about this.
You still need to apply if you are transiting through the UK – even if you aren’t going through border control.
The ETA allows you to come to the UK for six months for tourism, visits to family and friends, business or short term study.
You can also get an ETA instead of a visa if you are coming to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession or coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement. Outside of these conditions, you can’t use an ETA to do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person.
Who does not need an ETA?
British and Irish citizens, people who already have a visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, those travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport and people who live in Ireland and are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man don’t need to apply for an ETA.
Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?
The ETA is part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the end of 2025.
The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”.
Facial recognition technology could be used to make these “contactless corridors” possible, British newspaper The Times reports. It would require international travellers to submit biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they fly.
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