Airports under pressure: EU Commission checks hand luggage fees of the airlines!

Airports under pressure: EU Commission checks hand luggage fees of the airlines!

In the dispute over high additional fees for hand luggage, consumer advocates have taken another step. The European Consumer Association Beuc and 16 organizations from 12 countries have officially lodged a complaint with the EU Commission. The focus is on several large airlines, including Ryanair, Easyjet, Wizz Air, Vueling, Volotea, Norwegian and Transavia. The complaint concerns the charges for hand luggage, which, according to a judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from 2014, may be taken on board free of charge, as long as it does not exceed the specified dimensions.

The accusation of consumer advocates is clear: the airlines would be over the legal requirements and burden their customers with additional costs. In current practice, differences in relation to the luggage guidelines can be seen. Most airlines currently allow a hand luggage piece with maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 23 cm and a weight between 8 and 10 kg. Liquids are limited to a maximum of 100 ml containers and must be packed in a transparent 1-liter bag. Ideally, valuables, medication and technical devices should be transported in hand luggage in order to avoid loss or damage.

Different luggage regulations of the airlines

The regulations for hand luggage vary greatly from airline to airline. At Ryanair, among other things, a small piece of hand (maximum 40 x 20 x 25 cm) must be paid for. With priority boarding, passengers have the opportunity to carry two hand luggage pieces, with prices for this service between 6 and 30 euros. In contrast, Wizz Air allows a free small hand luggage piece (maximum 40 x 30 x 20 cm) as long as it fits under the front seat. For additional storage space, passengers can either book the Wizz Priority or Wizz Go/Wizz Plus.

easyJet follows a different approach: Here, a hand luggage piece (maximum 45 x 36 x 20 cm) applies in the basic tariff, while a larger piece of luggage (up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm) can be booked from 7.99 euros. These differences illustrate how important it is for travelers to carefully check the luggage regulations of their booked airline before packing to avoid unexpected fees.

reforms and legal bases

The consumer centers see the current provisions as insufficient and require clearer regulations for the size of hand luggage and the services contained in the ticket. The judgment of the 2014 judgment of 2014, which states that no fees may be charged for hand luggage, as long as it meets adequate requirements for size and weight, is currently questioned by the airlines. The challenge is now to define these legal limits and to protect consumers from further exploitation.

The ongoing consultations about a reform of the passenger rights regulation by the EU countries offer an opportunity to revise the existing regulations. The consumer advice centers emphasize that the right time for changes has now come to create clarity and fairness for air travelers.

Overall, the current developments show that the topic of hand luggage fees is a considerable annoyance for many passengers and that there is an urgent need for action. The European Consumer Association Beuc and other organizations continue to work for consumers' rights and will follow the developments.

For more information see The West and Tagesschau .