New rules ban airlines from sneaky carry-on luggage fees
Updated . First published at
Airlines have officially lost a major battle over carry-on baggage fees, with new rules being introduced that will guarantee passengers get at least one item included in the ticket price.
Budget carriers are well known for offering bargain airfares, only for travellers to be slugged with additional fees later in the booking process. New European rules will make that a thing of the past for cabin bags.
New rules will mean every passenger gets at least one carry on item included. iStock
Allowing for better comparison between airfares, airlines will now need to show fares with hand baggage included from the outset.
Both the European Council and the European Parliament have agreed that passengers will be allowed to bring a free personal item (40cm x 30cm x 15cm), as well as a small wheeled bag with a maximum combined dimension of 100cm and a weight limit of seven kilograms.
“The new rules now include the right to carry on board, without additional fee, one personal item, such as a small bag or backpack,” Parliament announced in June.
It said, “airlines, intermediaries and search portals” must now “always display the air fare inclusive of carry-on luggage at the outset of the book process”.
Airlines that already include luggage in ticket prices, such as British Airways, will be unaffected.
However, low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet will see changes.
Currently, Ryanair will only allow you to carry a small bag that fits under the seat in front of you for free. If you want to take a bigger bag or suitcase to go in the overhead locker, that will cost you from £6 ($13).
Other European airlines that have similar charges for hand luggage are Easyjet, Norwegian Airlines, Transavia, Volotea, Vueling, and Wizzair.
Low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet will see changes. Getty
The rules are expected to come into force in 2027, Business Plus reported.
Lawmakers in the EU first initiated the fight against hand luggage fees last year, as reported by nine.com.au at the time.
Airlines were unsurprisingly not on board, pointing out the rule would limit “consumer choice” and result in “higher costs” for passengers who don’t need the extra hand luggage when travelling.
Managing Director of Airlines for Europe (A4E), the group representing major air carriers at the EU level, Ourania Georgoutsakou said: “What’s next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket? The European Parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don’t.”
For travellers who don’t want to travel with carry on, airlines will be able to offer cheaper tickets later in the booking process.
The new rules will make travelling with just a carry-on bag a lot easier. Getty
Extra fees are big business for airlines. The BBC reported the overall global cost of all airline extra fees, from luggage to seat selection, buying wifi access, lounge access, upgrades, and food and drink, is expected to reach $145bn this year.
This compares with $137bn last year, according to the International Air Transport Association, which represents the industry.
In an exclusive Nine poll we asked our readers the question “would you pay an airline for carry on luggage?”
Only seven per cent of respondents said “yes” they would be willing to pay an additional fee for carry-on.
An overwhelming 80 per cent of respondents said they would not pay any extra to take hand luggage on board. A small number of respondents (13 per cent) said they were “unsure”.
