Spain fines low-cost airlines €179M

[malpensante]

Spain fines low-cost airlines €179M over cabin baggage and seat charges
Ryanair alone was fined €107M.

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 11:57 AM CET
BY TOMMASO LECCA

Spain Friday fined low-cost airlines Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Norwegian and Volotea €179 million for abusive practices including “extra charges for hand baggage or for reserving adjacent seats to accompany dependent people,” the ministry of consumer affairs announced.

This decision confirms and increases the fines of €150 million proposed in May. Spain's Minister of Consumer Affairs Pablo Bustinduy also rejected the airlines' appeals against the fines.

Ryanair was fined €107 million, while Vueling and easyJet were fined €39 million and €29 million respectively. Norwegian and Volotea were fined less than €2 million each.

The decision also prohibits the continuation of the sanctioned practices.

In addition to extra charges for carrying hand baggage into the cabin and for reserving adjacent seats for minors and dependent persons and their companions, the abusive practices include not allowing cash payments at Spanish airports, charging passengers disproportionate and abusive fees for printing boarding passes, and omitting information and lacking clarity in prices.

The airlines will have two months to appeal Friday's decision before the fines take effect.
"This is the first time that sanctions classified as very serious have been issued ... in the field of consumer affairs, whose ministry acquired sanctioning powers in June 2022," the press release said.


https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-f ... jsyTHHF5_A