On Friday, Spain’s leftist government announced it has fined five budget airlines, including Ryanair and EasyJet, a total of €179 million ($187 million) for engaging in “abusive practices” such as charging passengers for hand luggage.
The penalties also apply to Spanish airlines Volotea and Vueling, as well as Norwegian Air. The fines were issued for additional charges like reserving adjacent seats for children and dependents and for refusing to accept cash for ticket purchases at airports, as stated by the consumer rights ministry.
Ryanair, the first airline to implement extra charges for hand luggage in November 2018, received the largest fine of €107.8 million. Vueling, a subsidiary of the International Airlines Group, was fined €39.3 million, while EasyJet was penalized €29.1 million. Norwegian Air and Barcelona-based Volotea faced fines of €1.6 million and €1.2 million, respectively.
The ministry’s statement highlighted that the fines also address misleading information and a lack of price transparency, which inhibits consumers from effectively comparing various offers and making informed choices.
Ryanair was specifically cited for charging passengers an “excessive fee” for printing boarding passes at airport terminals when they lacked them.
The fines were determined based on the “illicit profit” derived from these practices by each airline. The ministry affirmed that the fines, initially announced in May, have been upheld, dismissing appeals made by the airlines.
Consumer rights organization Facua, which has campaigned against these fees, praised the decision as “historic.” They noted, “These sanctions represent the highest ever imposed by a consumer protection authority,” and stated that passengers are now entitled to seek reimbursement for these charges.
