The CEO of easyJet has slammed European Union proposals on free cabin bags as “crazy,” accusing politicians of risking low-cost passenger air fares and increasing delays by “not understanding their subject.”
Kenton Jarvis was responding to an EU vote at the end of January, which approved a European Air Passenger Rights bill including proposals to guarantee all flyers a piece of carry-on baggage plus a personal item. The EU’s carry-on bag would weigh a maximum of seven kilograms and be a maximum of 100cm in combined depth, height, and width dimensions—more than the typical size of most budget airline cabin bag allowance. The proposal awaits ratification from the European Council.
Jarvis claimed that there are two significant reasons why the bill cannot go ahead. One, airlines like easyJet or Ryanair whose business model relies heavily on the “ancillary” fees customers pay for “extras” like bags would be impacted. EasyJet made £2.6 billion (over €3 billion) in ancillaries in 2025. The loss of income would be “passed onto” flyers, making everyone’s airfares more expensive by about 25%, he estimated. The Telegraph concurs, reporting the new EU legislation could see an easyJet fare go up 25%, to an average of over €92 (£80).
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Second, “there just isn’t the space in the cabin,” to implement the rule for every passenger, Jarvis said, saying there is only room for two-thirds of flyers to bring a bag with them. “So that’s another lunatic idea,” he added, “I just can’t explain how stupid it would be, just crazy European legislation.” If more customers bring carry-ons and these cannot be accommodated in the cabin, they would end up being checked and going into the hold, Jarvis noted; a process that creates delays and causes passengers to wait at carousels.
At present, paying for a cabin bag with a low-cost carrier can more than double some budget fares. EasyJet says cabin bag space can be bought for around seven euros (£5.99), but that price has been challenged by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority. Consumer champion Which? found adding a cabin bag to a booking with easyJet costs an average of £30 (nearly €35).
But Jarvis highlighted that easyJet’s free allowance of one 45 by 36 by 20cm cabin bag is one of the industry’s most generous and said 40% of customers take advantage of it. He argued that “If you force a second bag into the cabin, you remove choice. You’ll essentially put the price up. And it’s completely unworkable because there isn’t enough room.”
Consumer rights groups, like BEUC, point out, however, that under current EU Court of Justice case law, hand luggage is considered an essential part of consumer travel and therefore cannot be subject to any price surcharge. That means many low-cost airlines are “in blatant violation of the top court’s ruling,” BEUC says, highlighting that such “unfair commercial practices” affect up to 480 million passengers travelling with the seven airlines targeted.
Friends in Southeast Asia, would you also want to get free hand luggage when you fly? Or free name correction of a reservation?
— European Parliament in ASEAN (@EPinASEAN) January 30, 2026
In Europe, @Europarl_EN is fighting for air passenger rights to make all of this and more possible.
Learn more: https://t.co/sHACm3QRLy pic.twitter.com/oGrSLf7aUd
BEUC noted in a statement that “Having a small personal item and a piece of hand luggage included in the basic ticket price is a basic consumer expectation which our members have shown in surveys conducted in different EU countries. Between 86% to 90% of consumers say hand luggage must be included in the ticket price, and 73% of surveyed passengers believe current fees are used to mislead passengers and inflate profits.”
Consumers “want to be able to bring their essentials when going on holidays and not to be charged for that. They can perfectly understand that, for space reasons, their hand luggage is brought on hold.”
Steven Berger, Senior Legal Officer at BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation, told Travel Tomorrow: “Consumers don’t fly naked. Our data shows that 86% to 90% of consumers consider a free piece of hand luggage must be included in the flight ticket’s price. The European Parliament’s proposal fully reflects consumers’ expectations. On top of that, it is in line with the EU’s top court decisions.”
