New Air Passenger Rights for Persons with Disabilities

On 15 June, the EU agreed on updated regulations to protect the rights of passengers with disabilities.

The agreement between the European Council and Parliament includes many new guidelines that would strengthen the rights of travellers, especially benefitting those with disabilities.

Airlines will be required to pay the full cost of replacement for any mobility equipment that is lost or damaged when travelling, as well as any injuries to assistance dogs. This is a large improvement from the previous guideline, which limited compensation to about €3,000. The same applies to any temporary issues to equipment or assistance dogs—airlines have the responsibility to provide temporary replacement at no cost.

If passengers with disabilities miss a flight because of a lack of airline assistance, they have the right to compensation and rerouting. Also, passengers with disabilities may have the possibility of sitting with their accompanying person at no extra cost.

In a recent report, the European Disability Forum (EDF) shared that 7 out of 10 people with disabilities consider themselves discriminated against while flying. It is clear that reform to protect the rights of passengers with disabilities is long overdue. This new agreement must still be formally adopted by the European Council and Parliament, but it is expected that these rules will greatly strengthen accessibility in airports.