La Spain ha five low-cost airlines fined for a total of 179 million euro for practices considered “abusive”, such as additional costs for hand luggage and seat reservations. The conviction follows a June decision. According to Spanish institutions (Ministry of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare) the companies have violated passenger rights and not only for the cost of the larger hand luggage and the choice of seats but also for the printing of the boarding pass as an extra and the possibility of paying in cash at the check-in counter. The consumer associations Ocu and Facua ask other European countries to launch similar investigations.
The companies fined: Ryanair the hardest hit
Le airlines involved in this huge fine are some of the main protagonists of the market European low-cost. Ryanair, the Irish company, was hit with the higher fine, equal to 107 million euros. Followed by Vueling, which will have to pay 39 million euros, and easyJet with 29 million. The other fined companies are Norwegian Air, with a fine of 1,6 million euros, and Volotea, which will have to pay almost 1,12 million euros. The amounts were calculated based on the profits generated by the contested practices. It is the first time that the Spanish consumer authorities have applied sanctions of this magnitude since they obtained sanctioning powers in 2022.
What is being contested against airlines
Sanctions were imposed for a series of behaviors considered incorrect towards consumers. Among the main abusive practices, there is the charge of a supplement for the transport of hand luggage in the aircraft cabin and the reservation of adjacent seats for children or non-self-sufficient people, often at high rates.
Furthermore, companies were penalised for disproportionate costs related to printing boarding passes and the difficulty consumers have in compare prices due to misleading information.
Ryanair Doesn't Accept: "Illegal and Unfounded Fines"
The airlines involved in the imposed sanctions have decided to to appeal. In particular, Ryanair ha the fine was strongly contested, calling it “illegal” and “unfounded”. The company accuses the Spanish ministry of having taken this decision for political reasons, also arguing that the sanctions violate European legislation. “These illegal and unfounded fines, invented by the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs for political reasons, clearly violate European legislation,” it said Michael O'Leary, CEO Ryanair.
even the ALA group, which represents Spanish airlines, said it would appeal the decision in court.
