The ECR welcomed today’s adoption of the European Parliament’s position on stronger air passenger rights rules, securing enforceable protections for travellers across Europe.

The Group delivered concrete improvements for families, including guaranteed seating of children next to their parents at no extra cost, and ensured the continued availability of paper boarding passes to prevent digital exclusion. ECR shadow rapporteur Kosma Złotowski pointed out that the Commission’s attempts to weaken passenger rights were driven by rising airline costs linked to Green Deal policies, and that travellers must not be made to pay the price for policy-induced burdens on the aviation sector.

Speaking in the plenary debate ahead of the vote, Złotowski said:

“Passenger rights are not a cost; they are a standard. For years, the European Union has been proud of the protection it provided to air passengers against long delays, flight cancellations or denied boarding. Today we hear that this protection should be weakened because it is costly. That is a false argument.

“As Members of the European Parliament, we will defend passenger rights. But the Commission must decide: green ideology and the weakening of our carriers’ competitiveness, with passenger protection being eroded as a consequence, or abandoning absurd and ideological Green Deal ideas.

“It is climate policy that has forced airlines to seek savings at the expense of consumers. Of course, we will defend passenger rights.”

The Group emphasised that the adopted Parliament position now sends a clear signal to the Council that weakening passenger rights is unacceptable. The ECR Group will continue to work to ensure that the final legislation delivers enforceable rights and keeps air transport accessible to all citizens.