European Parliament Approves Single Refund Form to Strengthen Travellers’ Rights
Brussels: Travellers across Europe could soon benefit from a unified refund application form under new legislation approved by the European Parliament to strengthen passenger rights when journeys are disrupted.
The legislation was approved by 652 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), with two voting against it and eight abstaining. It follows broader reforms to air passenger rights approved in July.
The new rules aim to simplify the refund process, clarify the responsibilities of airlines and booking intermediaries, and improve protections for passengers with disabilities.
Refund form to be available in all EU languages
Under the new system, passengers will be able to request refunds through a standardised form available on the European Commission’s website in all official EU languages. The form is intended to cover all modes of transport.
Passengers will be entitled to receive a full refund within 14 days, including when tickets have been purchased through travel agencies or online booking platforms.
The legislation also clarifies the obligations of intermediaries, whose responsibilities for processing refunds were not sufficiently clear under the previous rules.
If a travel agent or booking platform fails to issue the refund within the prescribed period, the airline will be required to intervene and reimburse the passenger.
Stronger protections for passengers with disabilities
The legislation also seeks to improve the rights of travellers with disabilities. Under the proposed provisions, a person accompanying a passenger with a disability could travel free of charge on flights when assistance is necessary, extending similar protections already available in certain other forms of transport.
Matteo Ricci, the Italian Socialist MEP responsible for the regulations, said the legislation placed citizens’ rights ahead of airline profits.
The new rules form part of wider efforts by the European Union to make travel refunds more straightforward, improve accountability among transport providers and ensure passengers receive the protections to which they are entitled.
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