A landmark EU vote could soon ban airlines from charging passengers extra to carry hand luggage on board.
On the surface, it seems like a victory.
We’ve all been burnt by ‘cheap’ flight deals that spiral out of control once you accept that you can’t fit a week’s worth of clothes into one tote bag.
But don’t go popping the champagne just yet.
What is the new free-hand luggage policy?
Whether you’re bringing a small suitcase to put into the overhead locker, or a checked bag in the hold, passengers are often expected to pay hefty sums for the privilege.
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And, those caught breaking the rules, with baggage that is too large or heavy, have been subject to dizzying fines.
But now, European Union lawmakers have approved an amendment that would give people the right to travel with a 7kg carry-on bag at no extra cost.
If the rule is confirmed, travellers could bring this on board for free — plus one smaller item that can fit under a seat.
‘Today’s vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel,” Matteo Ricci, vice-president of the EU Committee on Transport and Tourism said.
He added that free luggage was ‘a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs.’
It’s important to note though that the amendment still needs to be negotiated between EU member states, and has not yet been made official.
How could this negatively impact passengers?
Airlines4Europe (A4E) represents 17 airline group members across Europe — including the likes of Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet2, IAG (who own British Airways) and TUI.
When asked for their thoughts on the free-hand luggage policy, they told Metro it will spell bad news for passengers.
‘Europe’s airline market is built on choice,’ Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of A4E, said. ‘Forcing a mandatory trolley bag strips passengers of that choice and obliges passengers to pay for services they may not want or need.’
When asked exactly how passengers would now be forced to pay for hand luggage anyway, a spokesperson continued: ‘There is a cost to carrying bags for airlines and the approach proposed by the Parliament means airlines will have to pass this increased cost onto all passengers, not just those who feel that a trolley bag is the choice for them that they wish to pay for.’
Ourania likened the decision to ‘mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket’, adding: ‘The European Parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don’t.’
It’s perhaps no surprise that a coalition of European airlines will view the potential new ruling negatively. Currently, Ryanair passengers pay the airline up to £60 one way for two cabin bags.
But regardless, the consequences are clear: passengers will inevitably be forced to absorb the cost lost from carry-on charges into their ticket, meaning your flight isn’t suddenly going to get cheaper — or worse, it could get more expensive.
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