This week in the European Parliament, MEPs voted in favour of addressing the longstanding issue of inconsistent hand luggage policies within the airline industry.
In recent years, one of the main challenges faced by air travellers has been the lack of uniformity in hand luggage policies among different airlines, often leading to confusion, inconvenience, and disputes.
The resolution adopted in Parliament seeks to enforce a 2014 ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that declared cabin baggage complying with “reasonable” size and weight requirements as an essential part of air travel, without subjecting passengers to additional charges. However, this decision has not been respected across the industry, often resulting in hidden costs for passengers.
Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune expressed her satisfaction with the vote and the commitment to enforcing the ECJ ruling.
“I think it’s safe to say that we have all experienced the uncertainty around what hand luggage you will be allowed when taking a flight – whether you can have a 10kg suitcase as well as a handbag for under your seat, or if you have to pay extra to bring it on board.
“The ECJ ruling established that passengers should not bear the brunt of extra charges for their carry-on bags, and it’s high time we ensure this is consistently upheld across the industry, making the process much more straightforward for passengers.
“The inconsistencies in airline policies create unfairness and inconvenience for travellers, especially those with connecting flights on different carriers,” MEP Clune concluded.
