The days when travelers were charged extra for hand luggage on flights may soon be over — at least within the European Union.

More specifically, on June 24, a proposal was passed allowing passengers to carry a small cabin bag of up to 7 kg in the aircraft cabin free of charge, even on low-cost flights.

According to the new regulation, which could come into force as early as July 2025, travelers will be allowed to carry one cabin bag measuring up to 100 cm, as well as one personal item to be placed under the seat with maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm, without any additional fees.

The proposed legislation still requires approval from 55% of EU member states. If approved, the new rules will apply to all flights within the EU as well as routes to and from the EU.

The EU also wants to change how airlines handle compensation and refund requests, requiring ticket sellers or third-party resellers to inform passengers of the full ticket cost at the time of booking — including any mediation or service fees — and to explain the refund process clearly.

In addition, authorities want to ensure that EU travelers are entitled to compensation not only when flight delays cause them to miss connecting flights, but also when delays cause them to miss connections with other means of transport.

The hand luggage proposal is part of a broader European Parliament initiative to strengthen passenger protections. To ensure families can sit together without extra charges, it was also proposed to ban airlines from charging for seat selection for children up to 12 years old.

Although the new proposals appear to be a win for passengers, airlines are strongly opposed.

Representatives of the airlines argue fiercely against abolishing hand luggage fees, claiming that the costs will simply be incorporated into general ticket prices, ultimately making air travel more expensive for everyone.