Ryanair and EasyJet in the dock again

[niemeyjt]

A Spanish case, so it remains to be how, if at all, it impacts wider travel on the various airlines more globally.

Ryanair and EasyJet among airlines fined £128m for 'abusive practices'

Budget airlines including Ryanair and EasyJet have been fined a total of €150 million (£128 million) by Spain’s government for “abusive practices” including charging passengers for carry-on baggage.

Forcing passengers to pay to choose seats for their children or other dependents was also deemed an “abusive” practice by Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry. The four budget airlines were also censured for not accepting cash when selling tickets at airports and for confusing online price structures.

The ministry has declared the practices to be illegal, sources from the Consumer Affairs Ministry told The Telegraph.

The specific fines and amounts, also issued to Spanish airlines Vueling and Volotea, have not been made public.

Spanish government sources confirmed to The Telegraph that four low-cost airlines had been investigated in response to complaints received by consumer organisations and that hefty fines have been issued.
Appeal the decision

The airlines can appeal the decision, first with the ministry and later in the Spanish courts.

Many airlines charge passengers for cabin luggage despite a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice saying hand baggage of a reasonable size and weight is an essential element of travel and should not generate additional charges.

All four airlines allow passengers to carry on one small bag which must fit under the seat in front of them.

The ministry said that charging passengers to reserve a seat so that they ensure they are sitting next to their children or other persons in their care was potentially “harmful for vulnerable people”.
Unreasonable fee

Ryanair has also been issued a fine for charging €20 for printing boarding cards for passengers, considered an unreasonable fee.

The ministry described confusion around what the final cost of a ticket is compared to the initial advertised online price by the budget airlines as “an unfair commercial practice that hinders the comparability of offers and the decision-making of consumers, causing them significant economic damage and distorting the positioning of companies in internet searches”.

The Telegraph has asked the four airlines affected for a response to the fines.

Spain’s ALA Airlines association said in a statement that all airlines allow one piece of carry-on luggage for free, as long as certain requirements regarding its size and weight are met.

source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ ... d-luggage/

[exile]

Forcing people to book seats to be sure to be close to vulnerable travellers (not necessarily just children) had never occurred to me to be an abuse - so a round of applause to the Spanish authorities.

[Trelawney]

Most of the points raised fit my views of their practices and they annoy me intensely but I still use Ryanair and EasyJet when pressed. I pretend that they have not tried to cheat me and just concentrate on the bottom line and relative convenience of travelling with them.
I am very pleased that the Spanish authorities have taken a stand.