Consumer Advocates File Complaint Against Hand Luggage Fee

Consumer protection groups have therefore filed a complaint with the EU Commission, as they consider this to be an exploitation of customers by the airlines, according to the European Consumer Organisation BEUC in Brussels. Corresponding complaints have been filed at the state level, including by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations. The complaint is directed against seven airlines, including Ryanair, Easyjet, and Wizz Air, which only allow a small carry-on item for free that must fit under the seat.

Consumer advocates refer to ECJ ruling on carry-on luggage

Beuc refers to a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice. Although it overturned a Spanish law that was supposed to make checked baggage a fixed part of a ticket - no additional fee may be charged for carry-on luggage as long as it meets "reasonable requirements" for size and weight. Exactly where this limit lies is not yet regulated in EU law.

From the consumer advocates' perspective, the limits set by the mentioned airlines are not reasonable and therefore illegal. Travelers would want to take enough clothing and personal items - enough for a rolling suitcase, said Beuc Director General Agustín Reyna. "I cannot understand how it is reasonable to pack everything for at least a two to three-day trip into a small bag."

Moreover, passengers transport their carry-on luggage themselves and are liable for it. Unlike checked baggage - the loading of which at the airport is paid for by the airlines and for which they assume liability during the flight - carry-on luggage does not incur additional costs. An additional fee is therefore not justified.

Ryanair threatens higher ticket prices with carry-on luggage regulation

Ryanair clearly rejected the allegations in an initial response. The fact that only a small bag is included in the ticket price is in line with EU law and covered by the court ruling. Ryanair gives customers the choice of whether they need a larger carry-on item - making this a requirement would "increase ticket prices for all passengers," the Irish airline stated.

Consumer advocates demand clearer regulations on carry-on luggage fees

With the complaint, Beuc aims to have the EU Commission impose a penalty on the companies or order them to waive the additional fees. To avoid conflicts in the future, consumer advocates called for clear rules at the EU level. It should be determined up to what size a carry-on item is considered reasonable and what services a ticket must necessarily include. A planned reform of the passenger rights regulation, which EU states are currently discussing, is the "perfect opportunity" for this, said Reyna. The EU Parliament already commissioned the Commission in 2023 to establish precise rules - this referred the request to the airlines, which have not yet agreed on unified baggage rules among themselves.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.