Ryanair and Budget Airlines Face Pressure Over Hand Luggage Policy

Ryanair, alongside other budget airlines such as easyJet and Wizz Air, is facing increasing scrutiny over its controversial hand luggage and seat reservation charges. Campaigners and consumer groups are calling for intervention from European lawmakers to address what they describe as an exploitative practice that ignores a ruling deeming such fees for reasonably-sized hand luggage as illegal.

Agustín Reyna, Director-General of BEUC, an umbrella group representing 44 consumer organisations, has criticised these airlines, accusing them of taking advantage of passengers. He pointed out that shrinking hand baggage allowances and high penalty fees are creating significant stress for travellers. For instance, on Ryanair, passengers can bring a small bag that fits under a seat for free; however, oversizing can incur a gate fee of £60. Adding a larger cabin bag in advance can cost between £6 and £36 depending on the route, but any size breaches increase the cost to £75.

Spain particularly has emerged as a key battleground for this issue. Its Consumer Rights Ministry recently fined five budget airlines, including Ryanair, a total of €179 million for implementing hand luggage fees. This follows a Spanish judge’s order for Ryanair to refund a passenger €147 in hand luggage charges accrued over five flights. The judge declared that carry-on luggage is an essential part of air travel and should not incur additional costs. This ruling has been backed by the Spanish consumer rights organisation Facua, which has opposed such surcharges since 2018.

The airlines, however, are pushing back. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has asserted that the Spanish rulings violate European regulations guaranteeing airlines the freedom to set their pricing and policies. O’Leary has indicated that Ryanair will not be altering its fees and plans to appeal local rulings in European courts. He further claimed that passenger demand to challenge these policies is relatively minimal.

While Ryanair and easyJet maintain that such charges help streamline logistics and reduce delays caused by full overhead lockers, consumer advocates argue that these fees are misleading and add unnecessary strain on travellers. BEUC has urged for clearer definitions of reasonable hand luggage sizes and weights within EU legislation to prevent disputes and ensure transparency for consumers.

Legal experts suggest that rulings in Spain and potential changes to EU laws could influence broader passenger rights discussions across Europe. This increased consumer protection might result in airlines re-evaluating their policies, though it could also lead to higher base ticket prices as carriers attempt to recoup lost revenue.