A coalition of fifteen European Consumer Organizations has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission and national regulators, calling for an investigation into the practices of several low-cost airlines to charge for hand luggage. According to the initiators of the appeal, such actions contradict EU legislation and violate the rights of consumers, Euronews reports.
The complaint covers seven air carriers: EasyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Ryanair, Transavia, Volotea, Vueling, and Wizz Air. Human rights activists claim that these companies regularly require additional payment for transporting hand luggage, even if its size and weight meet the established standards.
The appeal refers to the 2014 decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which clearly prohibits additional charges for baggage that does not exceed “reasonable limits” and does not pose a threat to flight safety. At the same time, activists say some low-cost airlines deliberately classify permissible hand luggage as non-standard, forcing passengers to pay extra.
Agustin Reina, Director General of the European Consumer Organization (BEUC), said that such a policy creates a false impression of the cost of tickets, misleading travelers and depriving them of the opportunity to objectively evaluate the offers of various carriers.
The complaint coincided with the recent actions of the Spanish authorities, who imposed fines totaling 179 million euros on most of these companies (except Wizz Air and Transavia). The largest sanctions were imposed on Ryanair (107 million euros), Vueling (39 million euros), and EasyJet (29 million euros).
In addition, according to a study by the Tradingpedia platform, Wizz Air ranks first among European airlines in terms of the number of hidden surcharges, which are usually almost impossible to avoid. Ryanair, EasyJet, and Vueling were also among the leaders.