Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Citizens of the European Union and the Schengen area are free to travel within these zones without carrying a passport between countries. If you are an EU or Schengen citizen, you must show only a photo ID to board an aircraft.
Others are required to obtain a tourist visa for the country they wish to visit, unless a specific visa waiver program is in effect. As of late 2010, nationals of 37 countries do not need a visa to visit the EU for three months or less. These include Australia, Canada, Croatia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States.
The visa you obtain for a European country you are visiting in the Schengen area applies for the whole Schengen area, so it may be used to travel across borders within that zone. Some EU countries, however, are not part of the Schengen region and vice versa. Check specific visa requirements for your citizenship when deciding whether you need a visa.
Airlines require that you place carry-on liquids and gels in bottles no larger than 100 mL, or 3 fl. oz., that fit into a clear plastic bag. This bag must be separate from the rest of your carry-on luggage when you pass through the security checkpoint.
EU legislation passed in 2005 requires airlines traveling through Europe and European carriers bound for Europe to compensate stranded passengers whose flights are overbooked, canceled or delayed for several hours with 250 euros for short-haul flights and up to 600 euros for long-haul flights. Airlines must compensate for meals and hotel costs for overnight delays, emails and phone calls, as well as reimbursing passengers for the original cost of the ticket. Airlines try to squeak past this rule by invoking the caveat of "extraordinary circumstances" in the event of inclement weather, which means they are not held responsible for any of the compensation listed above.