The plenary session of European Parliament votes this Wednesday on a resolution critical – although not binding – of the “divergent policies and restrictions” applied by airlines and in which they recall that the hand luggage on airplanesaccording to a ruling handed down by the EU Court of Justice nine years ago, must be considered an “indispensable element” that cannot be the subject of a “price supplement“. The text received the unanimous endorsement of the petitions committee two weeks ago.
What is the current situation?
Each airline has its own rules on Baggage allowance size and fees that they demand from passengers that are sometimes “discretionary and arbitrary.” Furthermore, in the event of a change of airline on the same journey, the dimensions of the baggage allowance may be different. All of this generates “confusion, inconvenience, less comfortable travel experiences, delays and, sometimes, conflicts between passengers and airline staff,” denounces the resolution that was approved unanimously in the petitions committee of the European Parliament two weeks ago and on which the plenary session will rule this Wednesday.
Can airlines charge for carry-on luggage?
According to a ruling of Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of 2014 – of a lawsuit against Vueling– hand luggage must be considered an “indispensable element” of passenger transportation, provided that said luggage meets the “reasonable requirements” regarding its weight and dimensions, and that its transportation, therefore, cannot be subject to a surcharge on the price. That is, airlines should not be charging for hand luggage carried in the cabin.
Is it an abusive practice?
MEPs consider that inconsistent policies regarding carry-on baggage allowances by different airlines “could be considered a abusive or unfair practice“, in addition to a challenge for travelers who usually fly with several airlines or make connecting flights with different airlines. They also understand that the freedom of pricing which is recognized for airlines in the regulation establishing common standards for the operation of air services, adopted in 2008, does not include the prices of hand luggage.
What are the MEPs asking for?
Firstly, harmonize at European level the requirements on the size, weight and type of hand luggage, as well as checked baggage for all airlines operating in the European Union, because this will increase transparency and consumer protection for all air travelers. Furthermore, they demand that the European Commission present concrete strategic measures to apply the CJEU ruling.
Should the 2008 air services regulations be reformed?
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MEPs ask to define the scope and specific requirements of “reasonable” weight and dimensions of hand luggage and address the complexity of the rules by revising the current regulations. Within the framework of this legislative review, which the European Commission has already launched, the plenary session asks the Community Executive to also address other areas that are not clear and that give rise to hidden and additional costsas the seating assignment or the complexity of airline offers in relation to their baggage policy, which “restricts” the ability for passengers to compare offers and limits their ability to choose the best offer.
What will be the impact of the resolution?
The motion is not binding, which means that in the short term it will not have any type of direct impact, but it does represent a wake up call to the European Commission to review current legislation with a view to improving the protection and information of air passengers, strengthening their rights and ensuring that airlines operate under harmonized conditions in a liberalized market.