The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 has sanctioned this Friday for an amount of 179 million euros to five airlines (Ryanair, Vueling, Easyjet, Norwegian and Volotea) by abusive practices, such as charging extra for carry-on luggage or for reserving adjacent seats to accompany dependent people.
The sanction The highest is for Ryanair with 107.8 million of euros, followed by Vueling, with 39.3 million; Easyjet, with 29.1 million; Norwegian, with 1.6 million, and Volotea with 1.2 million. This is the first time that sanctions classified as very serious have been given finality by the General Administration of the State in the field of consumption, whose ministry acquired sanctioning powers in June 2022.
Specifically, they are sanctioned for requiring payment of a supplement for the transport of hand luggage in the cabin, of a extra cost on the ticket price for the reservation of adjacent seats in the case of minors and dependent people and their companions, and for not allowing cash payment at Spanish airports. The measure also includes the express prohibition of continuing with the practices that are sanctioned.
A slap in the face to travelers
For the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which brings together around 300 companies, the measure taken by the Spanish Government It is “illegal and must be stopped”. It is a “terrible” decision that “far from protecting the interests of consumers, is a slap in the face to travelers who want to have the opportunity to choose.”
Banning all airlines from charging for carry-on luggage means that the cost will be automatically included in the price of all ticketshas warned the director general of the IATA, Willie Walsh. “What’s next? Forcing all hotel guests to pay for breakfast or charging everyone for the cloakroom when they buy a ticket to a concert?” he asked.
Carrying hand luggage has an associated cost, which mainly translates into increased boarding times, and adding an extra 10 to 15 minutes on the ground on each flight quickly reduces the number of flights and planes that can operate each day. “Let everyone pay more for fewer options It is the worst possible result that a regulation could have“he stated.
Those sanctioned will appeal
The affected airlines will individually file appeals before the contentious-administrative courts and will request precautionary measures against the Consumer’s decision to sanction them, according to the president of the Association of Airlines (ALA), Javier Gándara.
TO THE He called the decision “nonsense” since it places Spain as the only country in the European Union (EU) where they want to prohibit charging practices for luggage in the cabin, which, in addition to being an illegal interference and attacking market freedom, represents a comparative grievance with respect to to the markets in our environment where this practice is not prohibited.
Gándara has clarified that the current hand luggage policy remains unchanged waiting for the courts to decide on the request for precautionary measures that the affected airlines will request. In his opinion, the decision of Consumption If applied, it would force 50 million passengers who travel without trolley in cabin at pay for a service they don’t need.
Ryanair was the first to announce that He will appeal the fines, which he describes as “illegal”, “unfounded” and “invented” by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs for political reasons that violate European legislation. Likewise, he has indicated that Ryanair’s luggage policies have already been approved in multiple hearings in Spanish and European Union courts, the most recent being in the courts of Barcelona.
For its part, Norwegian “has in contact with the Spanish authorities and the European Union to understand the decision taken, with which it deeply disagrees.” The Norwegian company considers that its baggage policy “complies” with EU regulations, and its application is essential to manage travel regulations. weight and limited space on board, all essential to continue guaranteeing the safety of its passengers and maintaining punctuality in its operations.
Applause from consumer associations
The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has applauded the sanction and has asked the ministry, in the event of an appeal before the contentious-administrative chamber of the National Court, to request the adoption of precautionary measures so that these airlines temporarily stop charging for carry-on luggage and other abusive practices, thus stopping the damage caused by this “massive fraud.”
Likewise, it is considering initiating all legal actions at its disposal to prevent further harm to air transport users. Recommends to consumers that, in the face of these abusive practices, complain to the company about the inadmissibility of the payments; and, those who have already done so, keep the documents that reflect it so they can claim them judicially if necessary.
From the association of financial users Asufin they consider that a change of behavior is urgent by these companies and celebrate these “exemplary” sanctions, which they hope will serve as a stop to the “impunity” with which these companies “ignored” consumer rights. Asufin has denounced Volotea for abusive rate practices in a class action lawsuit that is being settled in the Supreme Court and that has already managed to expel up to four of these practices from the market, it points out in a statement.
Facua has highlighted that it is the highest fine imposed in history by a consumer protection authority in Spain and which multiplies by 34 that imposed by the Consumer authorities on a bank, which was three million. At a press conference, his spokesman Rubén Sánchez celebrated that “there is finally a real fine” due to its high amount for “massive fraud” on consumers. The purchase of a plane ticket gives you the right to be seated and carry hand luggage, without having to pay an extra cost as imposed by the airlines fined by the ministry, he stressed.
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