EU agrees to increase flight delay times before passengers get compensation

A British Airways passenger waits at Gatwick airport after all short-haul flights were cancelled in 2022. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

EU countries have agreed to increase the amount of time aircraft passengers are delayed before they can qualify for compensation.

Passengers on short-haul flights would have to be delayed by four hours or more before they could claim compensation, under the plans. For long-haul flights delays would have to be six or more hours. Current EU rules dictate that passengers can ask for compensation if their flight is delayed for more than three hours.