The great airline baggage rip-off

Not only do air travellers in Europe have to submit to stupid and humiliating ‘security’ regulations, but we are now being ripped off right left and centre by the airlines. I have written about how I have failed to get a sensible response from easyJet about a case that was damaged when I flew with them two months ago. Now it transpires that their charges for baggage (eighteen euros per bag with easyJet, if I remember right) are not only exorbitant but illegal. The Spanish consumers association FACUA is taking Clickair, easyJet, Vueling and Ryanair to court over this issue (here, Spanish), my translation:

Spain’s Law 48/1960, of 21 July, on Air Navigation establishes in article 97 “the carrier shall be obliged to transport baggage together with the passengers, and included in the price of the ticket, with the weight and volume limits set by the Regulations. The excess shall be the object of special conditions”. The rule goes on to say that “for these purposes hand-carried objects and packages that the traveller carries with himself or herself shall not be regarded as baggage”

The charge for baggage is also an abusive clause as it implies “price increases for accessory services … that do not correspond to additional provisions” according to article 89.5 of the amended text of the General Law for the Defence of Consumers and Users (Legislative Royal Decree 1/2007, of 16 November).

This last point is especially interesting. A couple of years ago Liverpool John Lennon airport tried to introduce a charge of £2.00 per departing passenger for ‘security’. easyJet hit the roof. They pointed out that their contract with the airport included security services and that the airport had no right to make any separate charge. The publicity was bad (as were the airport’s chances in any court case) and the charge was dropped. Now easyJet is acting the same way itself by charging a small fortune to carry a suitcase in the first place, and then ignoring passengers who claim for their damaged luggage.

 

13-7-08

Pamela Heywood kindly mentions this post on her blog where she describes her experiences with Thomas Cook. I am very happy to return the favour.

Comments

[Pamela]

Most interesting to ponder Peter. I just paid an extra £10 to have my luggage allowance with Thomas Cook upgraded from their (mean, IMHO) standard of 15 kilos to 20 kilos on my recent flight from Tenerife to Gatwick (booked in Spain.)

My immediate thoughts, on reading your post, were, I wonder what the regulations limit is, i.e. can they charge extra for this? And find, as the Spanish article says, that nobody (only the airlines), has fixed baggage limits. FACUA are right and that needs addressing now, because if they're successful in their current case and have these penalized for charging, the airlines will simply respond by lowering weight limits further and continuing with their bearly-legal robbery that way.

Thomas Cook also impose a 5 kilo limit on hand luggage, BTW.

[Valerie]

Hi
What about Monarch Airlines? I have to use them as they are the only line that fly Barcelona-Manchester (they run loads of other UK/Spain flights). They now levy an extra charge for hold baggage, which is added to the price as you are buying the ticket online. Otherwise you will be charged even more for your hold baggage when you check-in. Surely this is illegal? If so, why isn't Monarch Airlines included in the lawsuit?

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Val,

Good to see you here! I'm afraid you'll have to ask FACUA about Monarch, though you could try making a denuncia to the Agència Catalana del Consum. They did well for me when I was trying to get out of the clutches of Wanadoo. And MoviStar once changed their tune when I threatened them with the same.

[mel burton]

monarch charge 19pound for baggage in the hold ..if this is illegal they should be included in the Law suit
Mel

[Peter Harvey]

Madrid, Catalonia and other Spanish governments have said they will look into this, also charges for credit card payments and insurance. As a tourism superpower Spain has an obvious interest in people travelling cheaply and in fair conditions.