Article 2 — Definitions
Air passenger rights, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004
What does Regulation 261/2004 Article 2 say?
Short answer, straight from the official text
For the purposes of this Regulation: (a) "air carrier" means an air transport undertaking with a valid operating licence; (b) "operating air carrier" means an air carrier that performs or intends to perform a flight under a contract with a passenger or on behalf of another person, legal or natural, having a contract with that …
Source: Air passenger rights, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, read 2026-10-14.
| In the act | EU 261/2004 |
| CELEX | 32004R0261 |
| Read on | 2026-10-14 |
Official text
Read from the EU Publications Office for this CELEX number. The wording stands as published; nothing here is rewritten or summarised.
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For the purposes of this Regulation:
(a) "air carrier" means an air transport undertaking with a valid operating licence;
(b) "operating air carrier" means an air carrier that performs or intends to perform a flight under a contract with a passenger or on behalf of another person, legal or natural, having a contract with that passenger;
(c) "Community carrier" means an air carrier with a valid operating licence granted by a Member State in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 of 23 July 1992 on licensing of air carriers(5);
(d) "tour operator" means, with the exception of an air carrier, an organiser within the meaning of Article 2, point 2, of Council Directive 90/314/EEC of 13 June 1990 on package travel, package holidays and package tours(6);
(e) "package" means those services defined in Article 2, point 1, of Directive 90/314/EEC;
(f) "ticket" means a valid document giving entitlement to transport, or something equivalent in paperless form, including electronic form, issued or authorised by the air carrier or its authorised agent;
(g) "reservation" means the fact that the passenger has a ticket, or other proof, which indicates that the reservation has been accepted and registered by the air carrier or tour operator;
(h) "final destination" means the destination on the ticket presented at the check-in counter or, in the case of directly connecting flights, the destination of the last flight; alternative connecting flights available shall not be taken into account if the original planned arrival time is respected;
The article continues in the official text.
The same rule in other acts
These articles carry the same official heading. The wording is not identical; read each text at its own source.
- GDPR Article 4 — Definitions
- AI Act Article 3 — Definitions
- NIS2 Article 6 — Definitions
- DSA Article 3 — Definitions
The text is quoted from the official source and is not legal advice. A national court reads the language version that binds in its jurisdiction.
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