Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced that it has launched an investigation into low-cost airlines regarding their hand luggage and other fees.

The investigation targets budget carriers like Ryanair, easyJet, and Vueling, without explicitly naming any specific airlines. These airlines charge passengers for hand luggage, particularly trolley bags larger than a certain size, and may impose additional fees for seat selection.

The concern raised by the ministry is that by separating such fees from the initial ticket prices, these airlines offer competitive prices in their advertisements that do not truly reflect the total cost paid by consumers. The practice of displaying lower base prices without including essential fees can mislead consumers into believing they are getting a better deal than they actually are.

If the investigation finds these airlines guilty of deceptive pricing practices, they could face fines of up to one million euros ($1.09 million), and potentially eight times the profit made from such fees if it exceeds one million euros.

“Abusive” fees

This issue is not new, as in 2019, a Spanish court ruled that Ryanair’s policy of charging a fee for hand luggage was “abusive.” However, Ryanair continued with its policy, citing the airlines’ commercial freedom to determine the size of their cabin baggage.

The investigation also highlights concerns about internet search engines potentially giving an unfair advantage to airlines that offer tickets excluding additional fees, making their prices appear more competitive than their competitors’ prices.

As of now, the investigation is ongoing, and further updates may come from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs as they continue to assess the practices of these budget airlines.