The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs has fined five airlines (Ryanair, Vueling, Easyjet, Norwegian and Volotea) 179 million euros for abusive practices, such as charging extra for hand luggage or for reserving adjacent seats for accompanying dependents.
The highest penalty is for Ryanair with 107,775,777 euros, followed by Vueling, with 39,264,412 euros; Easyjet, with 29,094,441 euros; Norwegian, with 1,610,001 euros, and Volotea with 1,189,000 euros, according to ministry sources. The appeals lodged by these companies have also been dismissed.
The fines are calculated based on the “illicit profit” made by the airlines from these practices. The ministry’s penalty system allows fines to be up to six to eight times the illicit benefit if it exceeds the prescribed limits of between €100,001 and €1 million ($104,744 and $1,047,390).
In response, the affected airlines have already announced plans to challenge the fines in court, arguing that the sanctions are “manifestly illegal,” according to Spanish media.
According to the Financial Times the Airlines Association (ALA) criticised the ministry’s decision as “nonsense,” claiming that Spain would become the only EU country seeking to prohibit the practice of charging for cabin luggage, arguing that the fines constitute an illegal interference and an attack on free market principles, creating a competitive disadvantage compared to other countries where such charges are not banned.
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Ulla JacksonNo comment.
Per TouretteThat's just an emotional comment!
What is the problem? All airlines have done is broken down the different elements that make up a ticket price. This is to the benefit of the consumer who has the choice not to have hold luggage, take cabin baggage (an underseat bag is included), choose a seat etc. A Quick Look at EJ site this morning. Return flight Gatwick to palma in January: £28. It’s hardly ‘corporate abuse’ if you need to pay to extra to take luggage is it?!
It's the low price attraction model. The price of the flight is so cheap it's irresistible. But the costs of the rest of travel necessities can exceed the price of the flight. A few years back, I took a flight on Spirit airlines in the US. The flight from Chicago to Houston was $50. But the charge for a carry on bag was $70. Is it ok? No, but it is sort of the responsibility of the purchaser to check the full price of their intended travel needs before booking it. In that case, it was rather deceptive because nowhere could I find any indication of the extra costs. I was dismayed to be told this at check in. It was there though, buried in some fine print on the website, so it's my fault, innit? :-) Beware. If it seems unbelievably cheap, it probably is. I'm glad somebody is trying to straighten this game out, even if the solution is a bit of an excessive sidestep.
Lewis BlackThey are doing this to help customers against corporate abuse. How the hell does that make it a 'PSOE tax' You sound like one of the dimwits that call everything you don't like 'communist' or 'woke'.
I can agree on takeoff weight, but how many airlines also carry extra air cargo i.e. island grown food, and mail. I know some passenger airlines do so, and Mallorca being an island, and there could be some reasons for extra cargo in the hold. Also for the most, the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 would only need at the most about half tanks of fuel for UK and other popular destinations to and from Mallorca.
Something needs to be done. The amount of “cabin baggage” people carry nowadays is simply ridiculous.
Oh dear O, o, o, Leary will be cross.
Per TouretteToday's winner!
They'd charge you for emotional baggage if they could.