Passengers flying with British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair will be covered by a new 14-day refund rule from mid-2027, part of a major overhaul of EU passenger-rights legislation.
The reforms, approved by the European Parliament, aim to strengthen protections for travellers whose journeys are disrupted, particularly those who book through travel agents and other intermediaries. Under the new system, passengers entitled to reimbursement must receive their money within a maximum of 14 days when the payment is processed through an intermediary.
How the 14-Day Refund Process Works
The airline will have up to seven days to transfer the money to the intermediary, which will then have a further seven days to pass the refund on to the passenger. If the passenger has still not been reimbursed after 14 days, they will be entitled to seek the refund directly from the operating airline.
The measures could affect passengers using major carriers including British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair where their journeys fall within the scope of EU passenger-rights legislation. EU rules generally cover flights within the bloc, flights departing an EU country for a destination outside the EU, and flights arriving in the EU from outside the bloc when they are operated by an EU airline.
Parliament Approval and Wider Reforms
The European Parliament gave its final green light to the latest passenger-rights enforcement reforms on Tuesday, October 20, with 652 MEPs voting in favour, two against and eight abstaining. The changes are intended to make it easier for passengers to enforce their rights when flights and other forms of transport are disrupted.
Travellers will also be able to use a standard reimbursement and compensation form covering different forms of transport. The form will be made available through the European Commission in all official EU languages. The new rules also strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. Where a person needs to be accompanied in order to comply with safety requirements, their companion will be able to travel free of charge.
Compensation Levels and Airline Obligations
The changes come alongside a wider overhaul of EU air passenger rights which will bring stronger protections for travellers from 2027. That overhaul preserves passengers' right to compensation when a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure and maintains the three-hour delay threshold for compensation. Depending on the distance travelled, compensation will remain at €250 for flights of up to 1,500km, €400 for certain journeys between 1,500km and 3,500km and €600 for longer qualifying flights.
Passengers will also benefit from clearer information when disruption occurs, while airlines will face strengthened requirements covering assistance, rerouting and handling claims. Under the agreed rules, airlines will have to acknowledge compensation claims and respond within 30 days, either by making the payment or explaining why the claim has been rejected. Passengers who choose to be rerouted following a cancellation or denied boarding must also be offered an alternative route within three hours. This could involve another airline or, where appropriate, rail or bus travel.
The wider reforms will also ban airlines from cancelling a passenger's return journey simply because they did not take the outbound flight. However, the EU rules will not automatically cover every journey made by a British Airways, EasyJet or Ryanair passenger. Whether a traveller is protected will depend on factors including where the flight departs from or arrives and, in some cases, which airline is operating it.
