The EU has adopted new air passenger rules, but they do not apply as of 29 September 2026. The key change when shopping for flights: the fare displayed by default must include both a small personal item and an additional piece of hand baggage. Travellers may voluntarily leave out the additional bag and choose a cheaper fare.
What baggage must the default fare include?
Adopted Article 11a distinguishes between two items. A personal item must be allowed in the cabin at no extra cost. It may measure up to 40 × 30 × 15 cm, or fit under the seat. Airlines must also allow one additional piece of hand baggage, subject to cabin capacity. A fare that includes that additional piece must be shown by default whenever fares are offered or published, before the booking process starts. Airlines may also offer a cheaper fare to passengers who voluntarily travel without it.
The regulation sets no EU-wide size or weight for that additional bag. The final text does not specify a ‘small suitcase’ size or guarantee that a wheeled bag measuring, for example, 55 × 40 × 20 cm will be accepted everywhere. Airlines must set a reasonable maximum and display the dimensions and weight clearly. An earlier proposal for 7 kg and 100 cm in combined dimensions did not become the adopted rule. The included cabin bag may therefore vary by airline.
In practice, a passenger travelling with only an under-seat bag can select a cheaper fare without additional hand baggage if one is offered. A passenger taking a cabin suitcase must be able to see the price including it in the default fare display. That makes advertised prices easier to compare, but it does not make every bag free on every fare.
What else changes?
The existing compensation of €250, €400 or €600 for an arrival delay of at least three hours remains, depending on distance and circumstances. After a cancellation or other disruption, rerouting rights become more specific: a suitable alternative may involve another airline, airport or mode of transport. If the airline offers no suitable option within three hours, a passenger may arrange alternative travel under certain conditions; reimbursement is capped at four times the original ticket price.
Missing the outbound flight alone can no longer justify refusing the return flight on the same ticket or charging a fee to board it. The rules also clarify information, care, boarding passes and family seating. The details of the journey still matter for those rights.
When will the rules apply?
The European Parliament and the Council signed the regulation on 16 September 2026. As of 29 September it was still awaiting publication in the EU Official Journal. It enters into force on the twentieth day after publication and applies twelve months later. There is therefore no confirmed application date yet; 1 January 2027 is not the start date. Until the revision applies, the current EU rules remain in force.
Sources and check date: signed regulation (Article 11a and Article 3); Council of the EU, 13 July 2026; European Commission questions and answers. Checked on 29 September 2026.
Image: travellers with cabin bags at an airport. Photo: Magic K / Pexels; used under the Pexels License.