The Ministerio de Derechos Sociales y Consumo has ratified a fine for five low-cost airlines that operate in Spain and which charge their passengers an extra fee for carrying hand luggage or printing the boarding pass.

It was at the end of May last year that the Ministry slapped a 150m fine on these five low-cost airlines but the airlines lodged an appeal against this administrative decision which was not only rejected. However, the sum of the fine increased to 179m euros.

The culprits are Ryanair, Vueling, Norgewian, Volotea and EasyJet. Of these five, Ryanair will suffer the most, because they will have to cough up 107.78m euros; i.e., 60% of the total fine.

Vueling, for its part, will have to pay a fine of 39.26m euros; Easyjet 29.1m; Norgewian 1.6m; and Volotea, 1.2m euros.

The Ministry considers that these airlines have been abusing air travellers by charging for printing boarding pass (in the case of Ryanair) or for taking a hand luggage onto the plane. The Ministry points out that taking hand luggage into a plane cabin is a passenger’s right.

But before you break out the party hats and farting cushions, this outlay will probably be passed onto passengers using these airlines, according to the Association of Airlines (ALA), which considers this decision to be “nonsense.”

Does this mean that you will no longer be charged (directly) for these things. Unfortunately, not automatically, at least. This is because the airlines can and will take the fine to court, making it a judicial affair, therefore, until there is a final ruling, the airlines will continue to charge.

ALA Chairman, Javier Gándara, said in a press conference that although the administrative route has been exhausted, the judicial route now begins. He also indicated that if this measure goes ahead, the consequences will have a “disproportionate impact” on the Spanish airline and tourism sector.

According to Chairman Gándara, Spain would be an exception on a European level, being the only country where a different commercial policy would have to be applied.

If the Ministry wins the court case, the following will be illegal

• The requirement of a payment of a supplement for the transport of hand luggage in the cabin.
• The requirement of a payment of an additional cost on the ticket price for the reservation of adjacent seats in the case of minors and dependent persons and their companions.
• Not permitting cash payments at Spanish airports.
• Imposition of a disproportionate and abusive fee on passengers for printing their boarding pass.

(News: Spain)

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