Despite a growing number of airlines charging flyers for hand luggage, the days of such fees may be numbered, following a series of court and parliamentary rulings that cast doubt on the legality of the practice. So what is the current situation?
Status quo
At present, the flock of so-called budget or low-cost airlines charging for hand luggage has grown to include Ryanair, Easyjet, Volotea, Vueling, and Wizzair, who all use their “no frills” model to charge customers an additional fee, ranging from €6 to €75, for a carry-on bag.
In the States meanwhile, luggage fees have historically been a way for airline as big as American, Delta and United, to avoid the government’s 7.5% excise tax on tickets by shifting part of the price of the ticket “elsewhere” e.g. onto untaxed ancillary services such as luggage.
Hand luggage is not a luxury item and should not be treated as such.
Laura Clays, Test Achats spokesperson
Legal challenges and potential changes ahead
But this may all be set to change. A recent European Union ruling says that any size of hand luggage that is within reason is simply a normal part of flying and therefore shouldn’t engender an extra fee. Emboldened by the bloc’s decision, and a Consumer Ministry judgment in Spain that also deems the charges illegal, a test case has been initiated by two consumer champions in Belgium who have launched an official set of complaints.
Non-profit consumer rights organisation, Test Achats, and its parent organisation Euroconsumers, have long pointed out that part of the problem with luggage fees is the way consumers only see the whole price for their journey at the end of a booking, rather than at the start, stopping them from easily comparing prices.
Recalling that, “the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that hand luggage of a reasonable size should be considered a necessary aspect of passenger transport and therefore should not give rise to additional charges,” Test Achats spokesperson Laura Clays insisted that “Hand luggage is not a luxury item and should not be treated as such.”
Complaints and refund requests in progress
In June, Test Achats wrote to four airlines setting out the case against hand luggage fees and asking them to refund customers, or face future lawsuits. “If this does not happen, we will have no choice but to take legal action,” Clays said.
Passengers who think they may have been affected by the rogue charges should keep all proof of payment, the organisation advises, in order to receive a refund. To request a refund and potentially join the case against the airlines, flyers can visit the Test Achats website.
And the crusade doesn’t stop there, so, polish up your airline grudges and dig out your receipts.
“Today, Clays added, “we are extending this complaint to other charges levied by airlines, including extra fees for accompanying minors or people with disabilities, unclear fees for correcting typing errors and unlawful fees for cancelling a trip.”
