Authorities in Spain‘s Balearic Islands has called an urgent meeting with Ryanair and the local confectioners’ association after the airline tried to charge passengers for bringing ensaimada pastries on board. Ryanair employees indicated that the pastries exceeded the allowed hand luggage limit and requested that the passengers pay the fees specified by the airline. According to The Guardian, the airline asked each passenger to pay €45 in order to be allowed boarding. Ensaimada pastries originated in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands and are popular throughout Spain.
The dispute erupted after two individuals boarding a Ryanair plane at Palma de Mallorca airport tried to carry an ensaimada, along with their hand luggage. When the airline demanded the additional fee to be able to bring the pastries into the cabin, the passengers decided to give the ensaimadas away.
The Guardian reported that the Balearic government has called a meeting with Ryanair as well as with local confectioners, who consider that this measure is especially detrimental to them given that travelers are, on the other hand, allowed take with them the ensaimadas they buy at the airport duty free without any problems.
In light of the incident at the airport, Iago Negueruela, the Balearics’ tourism minister contacted the low-cost airline to investigate the issue. According to The Guardian, one of the minister’s goals is to let the Mallorcan product not be considered as extra baggage on Ryanair flights. This is to defend the local product and avoid any kind of discrimination. Pep Magraner, president of the Balearic pastry association, has stressed that the additional fee is only being imposed by Ryanair, and not by other airlines.
Under Ryanair’s current rules, only priority passengers can bring a small bag and larger cabin bags on board. According to the airline’s website, priority passengers have to pay between €6 and €35.99 to acquire a priority pass.
