Not yet.
A political agreement has been reached between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, but the new rules still need to be formally adopted after legal and linguistic checks. This means airlines can still apply their current baggage policies for now.
Social media posts saying airlines are already banned from charging for hand luggage are too simplified. The EU agreement is real, but the rules are not active yet.
The main goal of the new rules is to make air fares clearer and easier to compare.
According to the agreement, airlines will have to show fares more transparently, including information about baggage allowance before the booking process starts. This is intended to help passengers compare the real cost of flights more easily.
This does not necessarily mean that every passenger will automatically get the same large cabin suitcase included with every fare across all airlines. The final practical details will depend on the adopted legal text and how airlines implement the rules.
A small personal item, such as a handbag, laptop bag, or small backpack, is expected to remain free.
The European Parliament had pushed for passengers to be allowed one personal item plus one small piece of hand luggage without additional cost. However, travellers should wait for the final adopted rules before assuming that all cabin baggage fees have disappeared.
One of the most important parts of the agreement is that the current three-hour delay threshold for compensation is expected to remain.
Under the current system, passengers may be entitled to compensation when a flight arrives more than three hours late, depending on the circumstances and the flight distance.
This is important because there had been discussions in the past about weakening passenger compensation rules, including raising the delay threshold. The current agreement keeps the three-hour rule.
Airlines will have to provide clearer information about passenger rights and instructions on how to make a claim. They will also need to respond within a set timeframe, either by paying compensation or explaining why the claim is refused.
Families travelling with children should be able to sit together without paying extra seat-selection fees. This matters because many passengers currently face extra charges simply to sit next to their children.
Another expected change is that airlines should not be able to force passengers to use a mobile app to access a boarding pass. Passengers should still have a clear and accessible way to receive their boarding pass without being pushed into downloading an airline app.
The rules are not active yet.
The agreement still needs formal approval from both the European Parliament and the Council. After that, airlines and booking platforms will need time to adapt their systems.
Until the final rules are officially adopted and applied, passengers should continue checking baggage rules directly before booking.
For travellers, the most important point is transparency.
The EU is not simply making every flight automatically include the same baggage allowance overnight. Instead, the direction is that passengers should be able to see the real price of flying more clearly before they book.
This could make it harder for airlines to advertise very low fares that become much more expensive once baggage, seats, boarding passes, or other extras are added.
However, travellers should also be realistic. If airlines are required to include more services in the displayed fare, some starting prices may rise. The cheapest headline fares may become less common, but the final price could become easier to understand.
Council of the European Union: Political agreement on stronger EU air passenger rights, 15 June 2026.
European Parliament and European Commission updates on the revised air passenger rights framework.
