The European Commission has decided that fines given to airlines due to hand luggage taxation is illegal and opened an infringement procedure against Spain
Hand luggage. Photo: Svershinsky | Dreamstime.com
The European Commission said on Wednesday that the fines imposed by Spain for Irish company Ryanair and other low-cost airlines due to additional cab luggage violates European regulations, the Reuters Agency reports on Wednesday.
The Spanish Ministry for Consumer Rights fined Ryanair, Easyjet, Norwegian -the low -cost division of IAG -, Vueling and Volotea last November, with a total of 179 million euros for practices such as charging for cabin luggage.
The Reuters Agency notes that such fines are a challenge to the business model of low-cost airlines, which are based on low ticket prices, but charges for services such as the transport of a higher hand luggage-a benefit that, traditionally, was included in the ticket price.
However, the Commission said that these fines violate the European Union legislation on air services, which offer companies “freedom to set their own rates”.
“Therefore, the Commission sends a formal notification letter to Spain, which now has two months to respond and remedy the deficiencies,” the statement said.
The letter opens an infringement procedure that could ultimately lead to the case before the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Spain denounces a “regretable” decision and favoring airlines
Pablo Bustinduy, the Spanish Minister for Consumer Rights, accused the Commission of being positioned on the part of airlines, against consumers.
“It is regrettable that the European Commission has decided to position itself open as a defense lawyer for this small group of large multinational benefits on account of consumers,” he told journalists.
“We will go before the European Court and defend our position with all the rigor,” he announced.
The general manager of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, said instead that the executive led by Ursula von Der Leyen was actually by the consumers, saying that they benefit from “a wider range of price options”.
A Spanish court ordered in June the temporary suspension of the fines, until the situation clarified.
The judicial decision allowed the airlines to maintain their tariff policy until a definitive decision.
Photo article: svershinsky / dreamstime.com.
