Unlawful and unjustified: Customer watchdogs file lawsuits against airlines over fees
In a significant move to protect consumer rights, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) has filed lawsuits against four major European airlines: Easyjet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Vueling Airlines. The vzbv accuses these carriers of charging unlawful fees for carry-on luggage, an issue that is part of a Europe-wide campaign to address this problem.
The vzbv argues that these hidden fees create a lack of price transparency for consumers, as the costs for larger carry-on luggage are often substantial and vary by route and booking stage, making it difficult for passengers to anticipate the total cost of their journey.
According to the vzbv, these airlines are deceiving consumers by offering flight prices that do not cover the entire reasonable carry-on luggage. The organisation believes that the EU should set clear standards and sizes for free carry-on luggage to prevent such deception and protect consumers from hidden fees.
The European Union is working on new rules to require airlines to allow all passengers to bring one carry-on bag and one personal item included in the fare. This step follows the airlines’ previous failures to agree on a unified carry-on bag size policy despite more than 18 months of time given by the EU.
Under current practice and evolving EU guidelines, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and easyJet allow one free small cabin bag approximately sized 40 x 20 x 25 cm, which must fit under the seat. Fees for additional or larger cabin bags can range from €9 to over €60 depending on booking time and route, plus gate-checking fees up to €70+ if bags exceed allowed cabin dimensions.
The EU's efforts aim to standardise these allowances and ban separate carry-on bag fees to improve fairness and clarity for consumers. The current fees are seen as hidden and vary inconsistently with airline route and policy, raising consumer rights concerns.
The vzbv's actions are supported by the 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which states that carry-on luggage is an indispensable part of airline passenger transport and no surcharge may be charged if weight and dimensions meet reasonable requirements and safety regulations are met.
In summary, the vzbv's legal action against Easyjet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Vueling Airlines, and the EU’s ongoing regulatory work, indicate that hidden baggage fees such as those charged by these airlines are increasingly regarded as unlawful or at least unfair under EU consumer laws focused on transparent pricing and passenger rights. The EU is moving toward enforcing rules that guarantee included carry-on luggage without extra fees and standardised size limits for such luggage.
The vzbv contends that these airlines, by charging fees for carry-on luggage without clearly stating the total cost, are promoting a lifestyle of travel that lacks price transparency, a claim further supported by the 2014 European Court of Justice ruling. The EU's ongoing efforts to standardize carry-on baggage allowances and ban separate fees aim to provide fairness and clarity to consumers, ensuring that reasonable carry-on luggage is of a kind used without any hidden charges.
