Representatives from EU member states have conceded in negotiations with the European Parliament that passengers will continue to be entitled to compensation for flight delays of three hours or more, sources involved in the negotiations told dpa on Friday.
The level of compensation will also remain unchanged, contrary to what member states had long demanded. Formal approval by EU lawmakers is still outstanding and could follow on Monday.
German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said there had been "major progress in the ambassadors' committee in Brussels on the new regulation of air passenger right."
The core of the agreement, she said, was that "consumers should continue to be entitled to compensation for delays of three hours or more."
Hubig said that the compromise contained several concrete improvements for consumers. In particular, price comparisons for carry-on luggage were to be made easier and passengers were to be better informed about their rights.
Representatives of the European Parliament and member states have been negotiating a reform for some time.
Last year, member states demanded that compensation only be granted for delays of four hours or more. EU lawmakers, by contrast, wanted to retain the three-hour threshold and continue to scale the level of compensation by distance.
