The EU is a haven when it comes to flight rights.
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If you’ve followed my coverage of passenger rights on commercial flights over the last year, you know that there have been many ups and downs in the US. For example, though the previous administration’s plans to launch an official Fly Rights program have stalled, Americans at least have new Air Traffic Control funding to look forward to.
Still, we’re a long way away from a reality in which airlines are held accountable for issues like delays, lost luggage, missed connections, and more.
That’s not the case in the EU. Airlines are held to relatively tight standards when it comes to owing passengers refunds for delays. A three-hour delay on a domestic flight will get you a partial refund, along with a six-hour delay for an international flight.
I use AirHelp to file my claims and, though I share a chunk of the refund with the company, have had great success. (Money aside, it’s also nice to feel that I have rights as a consumer.)
Still, rosy outlook aside, passengers in the EU still have to deal with some ridiculous, inane rules. For example, while I’ve had great luck getting compensated for delays, I’ve had to deal with issues like an ever-shifting carry-on luggage size requirement. In short, there are still many flaws.
But there’s one recent coup that American travelers should know about: hand luggage rules are about to get a lot simpler.
EU fights for simplified carry-on requirements
The EU recently voted on updating policies related to airline carry-on fees with the hopes of promoting standardized rules throughout the industry. To clarify, the law has not been passed and still requires approval from EU member states. That being said, it looks like a win, and residents around the EU are hopeful it will nix predatory policies.
Mainly, it aims to standardize the size of the free carry-on permitted by airlines.
Again, see me complaining in this article about Swiss Airlines attempting to check my small carry-on because, though it was narrower than their requirement, it was an inch taller than allowed. This is precisely the type of experience it looks like EU lawmakers want to address.
Though the law is geared at low-cost carriers like EasyJet and Ryanair, all airlines have the right to check bags that don’t fit their size requirements or even up-charge for them. The former is a bigger issue, as it adds undue costs for passengers.
What are the new carry-on rules?
The proposed change by the EU would allow passengers to bring two items into the cabin, both of which are free and are standardized across the EU in terms of size. One is a cabin bag weighing up to 15 pounds (seven kilos) with a height of up to 40 inches (100 centimeters). Additionally, they would have the right to bring an under-seat item around the size of a small backpack.
The new rules about carry-on items would apply to all flights within the EU, as well as all flights arriving in the EU and leaving from the EU. Though the law still requires approval, it’s already been unofficially adopted by the trade association known as Airlines for Europe, which represents 17 major airlines operating on the continent.
