Who among us does not remember the small airline that once connected us to a childhood holiday, or to a family member far from home? For many, those memories are all that remain; many of those carriers have already quietly disappeared. Today, across Europe, connectivity is becoming more fragile, and the ongoing revision of EU Air Passenger Rights regulation (EU261) risks accelerating a decline that would leave our most vulnerable regions in the dark.
At first glance, the numbers tell a reassuring story of growth, with intra-European routes expanding by 14 per cent since 2015, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). But beneath that surface lies a worrying reality. Today, “thin routes” account for 42 per cent of all routes yet represent a staggering 91 per cent of discontinued routes. These are not just lines on a map; they are the lifelines linking islands, remote regions, and smaller communities to the heartbeat of Europe.
These regional airlines are fundamentally different from larger carriers. They operate smaller fleets, often from a single base, with limited access to spare aircraft or maintenance facilities. For the communities they serve, they are more than a business; they are a necessity. The European Regions Airline association’s members operate more than 1,000 unique routes where no other provider exists. If one airline goes out of business, the route is often suspended forever.
The true victims of this punitive regime won't just be the airlines; they will be the people
These flights allow a teacher in the Greek islands to reach their classroom, a student to attend university, and a patient in a remote outpost to access life-saving healthcare, all year long, not just during the peak summer season. Many operate Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes, essential services that are not profitable but are subsidised and maintained because no other option exists.
The current direction of the EU261 revision risks treating these vital carriers as if they had the infinite resources of a global airline. This is a key misunderstanding of operational reality. Consider the moment disruption strikes. A technical issue on a regional aircraft at a remote airport cannot be fixed with the flick of a switch. As Jesper Rungholm, an experienced pilot of 40 years and the European Regions Airline association President, explains that the "three-hour clock" is a trap.
Diagnosing a technical fault alone can take an hour. That leaves just two hours to fly in a part, mobilise engineers from a distant hub, or find a replacement aircraft. In a remote region, it is often physically impossible. A five-hour threshold would give airlines the breathing room to actually fix the problem and get people moving. What a passenger values most is reaching their destination as fast as possible.
Europe’s strength lies in its connectivity, not just between its great capitals, but across every corner of its regions
There is also the glaring question of proportionality. Compensation is set at €250 and can reach up to €600 depending on the distance of the flight, which is often several times the original regional ticket. The EU is pushing for the minimum amount of compensation to go up to €300. This disconnect is pushing the industry toward a breaking point, especially with the estimated cost of EU261 at €8.1 billion annually, and proposals threatening to double that to €15 billion. For regional airlines with razor-thin margins, a single technical delay can erase up to 300 per cent of the revenue from that flight. When you add the rising costs of decarbonisation, taxation, labour, energy, and Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues, you aren't just regulating an industry; you are regulating it out of existence.
The true victims of this punitive regime won't just be the airlines; they will be the people. We have already seen several regional carriers go bankrupt in the last decade, leaving holes in the map that have never been filled. When an airline is pushed to the edge, routes are cut, competition reduced, ticket prices skyrocket, making it less affordable to low-income families dependent on aviation, and tourism flows to remote regions dry up. None of this is an argument against passenger rights; regional airlines are defined by the trust they build with the communities they serve. But regulation must reflect the reality on the ground.
This is why we are calling for a revision of EU261 that chooses common sense over punishment. We need a thorough impact assessment that considers the teacher, the patient, and the student, creating a compensation regime that considers the specific realities of regional airlines by adjusting the delay thresholds to five hours and refraining from increasing compensation rates. Europe’s strength lies in its connectivity, not just between its great capitals, but across every corner of its regions.
Passenger rights should connect citizens, not isolate them. If we don’t adjust course before it’s too late, this regulation will be the last straw that pushes Europe’s regional airlines, and the communities that rely on them, over the edge.
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