Millions of action: Consumer advocates demand free hand luggage for everyone!

Millions of action: Consumer advocates demand free hand luggage for everyone!

Brüssel, Belgien - The dispute over hand luggage in the plane is increasingly developing into a legal skirmish. The Federal Association of Consumer Centers (VZBV) and European partner organizations urgently call for the increase in free hand luggage for passengers. But the airlines are not very insightful and consider the limited storage space as a lucrative source of income. There are currently no clear EU guidelines for the definition of "appropriate hand luggage", which makes the guidelines vary greatly depending on the airline. Ryanair, for example, only allows a small bag with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20 cm free of charge, while for larger pieces of luggage, juicy fees between 6 and 75 euros are required. This practice is called "cost traps" by VZBV board member Ramona Pop and has already led to legal steps against various low-cost airlines, including Easyjet, Wizz Air and Vueling.

Overall, the VZBV hand luggage does not see as an additional service. He refers to a judgment of the European Court of Justice in 2014, which says that no fees may be charged for hand luggage as long as its size and weight remain within a reasonable framework. However, numerous airlines require fees for hand luggage pieces that should normally be included in the flight price. This has now led to warnings of four other airlines, including Norwegian Air and Transavia.

The demands of consumer advocates

Consumer advocates require a uniform regulation that stipulates that passengers can take a hand luggage piece of up to 10 kg and a minimal edge size of 115 cm free of charge. In addition, a small "personal item", such as a handbag or a laptop backpack, should be included in the ticket price. This initiative is coordinated by the umbrella organization BeuC, which has also submitted a complaint to the EU Commission against seven low-cost airlines. Flights from Airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet and Wizz Air often only allow a small hand luggage to take a free hand luggage that can be stowed under the seat, while everything is also subject to a fee.

Currently there are several procedures in front of various higher regional courts in Germany, including in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main and Hamm, in which the practices of the airlines are questioned. Consumer advocates criticize the unclear hand luggage regulations and call on the EU to introduce precise regulations for the permitted dimensions and weights of hand luggage. This reform of passenger rights is viewed as an opportunity to create clearer guidelines and to offer travelers more planning security. Airlines for Europe (A4E), however, reject additional regulations and argue that customers who book cheap tariffs have to accept these conditions.

effects on the market

In the discussion about hand luggage and fees, the airlines are faced with a dilemma. While airlines such as Lufthansa and Condor already offer their passengers a piece of hand luggage and a small bag including a ticket price, others stick to their strict rules. Airbus has even developed larger luggage compartments that promise more efficient use of the storage space and can shorten the boarding process by up to six minutes.

In the current debate about hand luggage and regulations, it is clear that consumer advocates strive for far -reaching changes to improve travel comfort. The topic remains highly up to date, and the situation could also affect future passenger rights that will be discussed in Brussels. However, passengers still have to expect different handling of airlines, which is a clear challenge for all travelers.

Further information on the legal disputes and the viewpoints of the airlines can be found in the reports of Kosmo , Consumer center and Tagesschau .