Ahead of Tuesday’s final vote on the revision of the EU Air Passenger Rights Regulation, ECR Shadow Rapporteur Kosma Złotowski MEP welcomed the agreement as a long-awaited step towards clearer and more predictable rights for air travellers in the European Union.

One of the key achievements secured during the negotiations was the prohibition of additional fees for seating children next to their parents or guardians up to the age of 14, following an amendment tabled by Złotowski.

Speaking in the debate in Strasbourg, Złotowski said:

“Updating the regulations on air passenger rights is a success for this Parliament. This reform may not be perfect and may not solve all problems, but it does make travelling in Europe simpler, more predictable and safer, and it also reduces some unfair practices.

“I am particularly pleased with the adoption of my amendment banning additional fees for seating children next to their parents. Children should sit next to their parents primarily for safety reasons, and charging fees for this was simply a rip-off.”

At the same time, Złotowski underlined that the debate on passenger rights cannot be separated from the growing pressure on European airlines. He warned that EU decisions, including Green Deal obligations on the use of expensive sustainable aviation fuels, have increased costs for European carriers and exposed them to unfair competition from non-European airlines.

Złotowski said:

“We also have to be honest with citizens. The fact that an agreement was reached only at the last minute, and that we have not yet developed better solutions, is a consequence of previous decisions.

“As part of the Green Deal, the EU imposed on European carriers the obligation to use very expensive sustainable fuels. This weakens their competitiveness against non-European airlines, and higher operating costs also affect ticket prices and passenger satisfaction.”

The ECR Group supports stronger and clearer passenger rights, especially where they deliver practical benefits for families and travellers. However, the Group also insists that EU aviation policy must remain realistic and must not weaken European airlines through one-sided burdens that their global competitors do not face.