According to the conclusions of a meeting of the EP's Transport and Tourism Committee, MEPs approved, with 34 votes in favour and two abstentions, maintaining the right to compensation for passengers for flight delays of more than three hours or cancellations.

“The MEPs on the Transport Committee are resolute in their commitment to the current rules and want to maintain passengers' rights to reimbursement or rerouting, and to claim compensation if a flight is delayed or cancelled for more than three hours, or if they are denied boarding,” the MEPs stated in a statement.

In this sense, the EP is going against the intention of the Council of the European Union (EU), composed of diplomatic representations from each member state, which wanted to increase the compensation period for delays of more than six hours. The flight distance would only be relevant for the final compensation amount, the MEPs clarified.

To streamline and harmonise this process, the MEPs advocated the creation of a common form for compensation claims.

Regarding baggage, which has been a hot topic at a time when more commercial airlines are considering following the example of Ryanair, which only allows one backpack or one personal item, MEPs opposed this form of travel.

At Monday's meeting, the possibility of each person carrying one personal item and one carry-on bag of standard dimensions was also approved. Quoted in the statement, the Committee rapporteur on this issue, Andrey Navanov of the European People's Party (EPP, which includes the PSD and CDS-PP parties), said that the EP "is prepared to fight for European passengers."

"Behind every delay or cancellation are real people, missed birthdays, funerals, weddings, and job interviews. We will not allow citizens to be left behind," the MEP maintained, adding that the European Parliament "will not be dissuaded from these positions," which are supported by the Court of Justice of the EU.