The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has criticised the latest revisions to Europe’s passenger rights rules, saying the changes fall short of the meaningful reform needed to address long-standing flaws in the EU261 regulation. 

The airline body said the outcome represents a missed opportunity, with little in the revised framework to improve the passenger experience and nothing to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness. 

According to IATA, the only substantial changes relating to flight disruptions are the addition of a non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances and a requirement for airports to prepare contingency plans for accommodation during mass disruptions. 

However, the association said the list of extraordinary circumstances still fails to properly reflect the aviation industry’s safety-first approach. 

EU261, which sets out compensation and assistance rules for passengers affected by delays, cancellations and denied boarding, now carries an annual regulatory burden of €8 billion, IATA said. 

Despite this, the association argued that the regulation has failed to deliver on its original aim of improving performance on delays and cancellations. 

It pointed to Eurocontrol data, saying a significant share of delays is linked to weaknesses in Europe’s air traffic management system rather than factors directly controlled by airlines. 

IATA said airlines had supported the European Commission’s proposals to introduce longer delay thresholds before compensation obligations apply. 

The association said this would have given airlines greater flexibility to arrange alternative travel options for passengers, which, it added, travellers consistently identify as their main priority when disruption occurs. 

However, IATA said this reform was removed during negotiations with the European Parliament, while other requirements were added with limited industry input. 

“After 13 years of discussion, the opportunity to improve Europe’s competitiveness and the passenger experience by addressing the flaws of EU261 was lost,” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said. 

“The result will not reduce delays, but considering the whole package of changes, it will create operational challenges and add costs which will ultimately be borne by passengers,” he added. 

Walsh said the changes amounted to “a reform in name only” and did nothing to help disrupted passengers. 

“Those responsible for this political trade-off must be held accountable with transparent data to monitor its costs and impacts,” he said. 

Looking ahead, IATA said two upcoming processes will be important for the aviation sector. 

The first concerns the enforcement package, where the association said it would work with the Council and Parliament to prevent further regulatory burdens being added to an already strained sector. 

“The aim should be practical, effective, and consistent implementation,” Walsh said. 

The second is Europe’s forthcoming Aviation Strategy, which IATA said must address air traffic management deficiencies, describing them as one of the root causes of delays across the region.