Consumer advocates require action against high hand luggage fees!

Consumer advocates require action against high hand luggage fees!

Spanien, Land - More and more holidaymakers are facing the problem that their hand luggage does not meet the airlines' regulations, which can lead to unexpected additional costs. In particular, airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizz Air calculate considerable fees for larger hand luggage. For example, Ryanair demands 18 euros for a hand luggage piece, the dimensions of which are not allowed to exceed 55 x 40 x 23 cm, and other airlines also charge similar fees. Consumer protection organizations have therefore required clear rules for hand luggage fees to strengthen the rights of passengers.

This problem led to consumer advocates, including the German Consumer Consumer Center Federal Association (VZBV), submitted a complaint to the EU Commission. The complaint is directed against a total of seven airlines that would exploit passengers through different payment requirements for hand luggage, according to the European Consumer Protection Dachverband Beuc.

legal situation and consumer rights

A central basis in this dispute is a judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) from 2014. This states that no fees may be charged for hand luggage as long as the applicable dimensions and weight limits are appropriate. At the moment, however, these limits are not clearly defined in the EU regulations, which leads to ambiguities. Consumer advocates argue that the stipulations of the airlines in terms of hand luggage are often inappropriate and therefore illegal.

In order to protect the rights of passengers, consumer advocates are calling for an intervention by the EU Commission. This could be done in the form of binding rules for all EU countries to avoid uncertainties at the airport. Because the space for hand luggage is often covered when the smallest permitted dimensions are reached.

model of Spain and future developments

A look at Spain shows that several airlines were already occupied with penalties of 179 million euros last year after they violated the price policy during hand luggage. This could be an example of other EU countries to tackle the problem and create fair conditions for passengers.

For a smooth travel experience, many passengers therefore want not only a clear regulation, but also a strengthening of their rights towards the airlines. You can find more information in the reports of The West and Tagesschau .