Millions of consumers daily choose air travel to reach their destinations quickly and safely, with their belongings. They can choose to check their luggage in or bring them to the cabin.  

Several European airlines apply charge consumers financial supplements undue fees if they consider their hand baggage does not match their requirements. These amounts may vary significantly depending on airlines, routes or additional factors.  

Although airlines claim that charging for hand baggage is part of their pricing freedom,  BEUC and 16 of its members take the view that these practices and the associated terms and conditions infringe consumer rights, in particular Article 22 and 23 of the Air Services Regulation and related case law of the European Court of Justice (1), but also the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and Unfair Contract Terms Directive.   

Our Spanish member OCU (Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios) launched a formal complaint to the Spanish Ministry of Social Rights and Consumption who ultimately fined five airlines €179 million for abusive hand baggage practices in late 2024. Our Belgian member Testachats/Testaankoop also filed a complaint to the Belgian authorities in May 2024 and our Portuguese member DECO did the same in Portugal Testachats/Testaankoop launched a court action against Ryanair for their unlawful hand baggage policy. These national procedures highlighted the need to launch an EU-wide action.

(1) Vueling Case 

BEUC and its members filed a complaint to the European Commission and the network of consumer protection authorities (CPC), calling on them to launch an investigation.  

We call on the CPC-Network to:  

• Publish a common position sending clear messages to airlines and stressing that:

  • Imposing fees on consumers for hand luggage that “meets reasonable requirements in terms of its weight and dimensions and complies with applicable security requirements” as per European Court of Justice case law constitutes a prohibited unfair commercial practice.  

  • Associated Terms and Conditions imposing such fees are unfair terms.  

• Request that airlines immediately stop the contentious practices. Where necessary, authorities should take enforcement measures to end the malpractices (including periodic penalty payments).

Ultimately, consumers need to be able to carry a small bag and an item of baggage (e.g. a carry-on suitcase) should they not want to check-in any bigger luggage that would go in the hold.  

Press release, EU consumer groups denounce seven airlines charging hand baggage, 21.05.2025
Letter, External alert to the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, 21.05.2025
Report, Fly light, pay heavy, 21.05.2025
Annex, Targeted airlines and identifies practices 21.05.2025
Our position paper is available here. 12.03.2025

Calls for EU to intervene in row over charges for hand baggage on budget airlines
The Guardian (26 May 2025) 
"Airlines were “exploiting consumers”, said Agustín Reyna, director general of BEUC, an umbrella group for 44 consumer organisations, and were “ignoring the EU top court who ruled that charging [for] reasonably sized hand baggage is illegal”."

Facturation des bagages à main dans les avions : des associations européennes de consommateurs attaquent sept compagnies
Franceinfo (21 May 2025)
"Ces 14 organisations membres du Bureau européen des unions de consommateurs (BEUC) appellent à 'clarifier' les services inclus dans le prix de base du billet et les règles en matière de bagage notamment 'la taille et le poids raisonnables'."  

Bagages à main facturés: sept compagnies aériennes attaquées par des associations européennes de consommateurs
BFMTV (21 May 2025)
"Le BEUC s'appuie donc sur une décision de la Cour de justice de l'Union européenne qui avait jugé en 2014 que le bagage cabine était un élément 'nécessaire du transport de passagers' et ne devait donc pas être soumis à des frais additionnels, à condition cependant qu'il respecte des dimensions raisonnables."

Supplemento bagaglio a mano, denuncia consumatori Ue in Commissione per sette low cost. “Indebito”
La Repubblica (21 May 2025) 
"'Chiediamo un'indagine a livello europeo sulle pratiche commerciali delle compagnie aeree interessate e del settore in generale', afferma l'associazione."

La batalla contra Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling o Volotea por el cobro del equipaje de mano escala hasta Bruselas
El País (21 May 2025) 
"La organización de asociaciones de consumidores BEUC denuncia a siete aerolíneas de bajo coste ante la Comisión Europea, secundando al ministerio español de Consumo en la persecución de prácticas comerciales 'abusivas'."

Verbraucherschützer gehen gegen teures Handgepäck im Flieger vor
Der Spiegel (21 May 2025) 
"Die geplante Reform der Fluggastrechte-Verordnung, über die die EU-Staaten derzeit beraten, sei dafür die »perfekte Gelegenheit«, sagte der Beuc-Generaldirektor Agustín Reyna."

Billig-Airlines: Verbraucherschützer gehen gegen Handgepäck-Gebühr vor
Tagesspiegel (21 May 2025)
"Reisende würden genügend Kleidung und persönliche Gegenstände mitnehmen wollen - genug Sachen für einen Rollkoffer, sagte der Beuc-Generaldirektor Agustín Reyna. „Ich kann nicht verstehen, wie es angemessen sein soll, für eine mindestens zwei bis drei Tage lange Reise alles in eine kleine Tasche zu packen.“"