In a significant step towards defending passenger rights, the European Parliament's Petitions Committee has unanimously approved a resolution requiring airlines to ensure that passengers can carry their cabin luggage free of charge.
Jordi Cañas, Ciudadanos MEP, calls on the European Commission and the Member States to develop a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that considers hand luggage as an “indispensable element” of the passenger and, therefore not subject to additional costs.
One of the key aspects of this resolution is the harmonization of the measurements and weight of carry-on bags, with the aim that all airlines operating in the EU use the same standards. This would eliminate the confusion and hidden costs for passengers that they often face when flying with different airlines.
Cañas emphasizes the behavior of the airlines, “low-cost companies are doing business with the price of tickets by hiding the supplement for carrying cabin luggage until the end of the purchase”.
Despite the CJEU ruling, there are still airlines that charge for hand luggage, imposing fines on passengers who refuse to pay additional costs at the boarding gate.. The resolution calls on countries to ensure compliance with the European court's decision and to ensure that airlines provide transparent information on flight prices and schedules.. It seeks to put an end to the illegal and abusive practice of fining passengers for carrying carry-on luggage.
Furthermore, the resolution asks the European Commission to develop EU-wide legislation to regulate the harmonization of the measurements and weight of carry-on suitcases, an aspect that is not detailed in the CJEU ruling.. The lack of uniformity in these standards means additional hidden costs for passengers and hinders their ability to make informed decisions when choosing an airline.. This is especially relevant on connecting flights and when a passenger must fly on different airlines on the same day.
The resolution approved unanimously in the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament will be voted on in the plenary session in Strasbourg next October. This step marks significant progress towards protecting passenger rights and eliminating abusive practices by airlines in the European Union.