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Ryanair to appeal Spanish baggage fine

Ryanair has said that it will appeal a fine of €108 million imposed on it by Spain’s consumer-rights ministry over its baggage policies. 

Fines totalling €179 million were imposed on Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, Norwegian, and Volotea. 

The ministry dismissed appeals from the airlines to go ahead with the fines, first announced in May. 

It said in a statement that the airlines violated customer rights when charging for larger carry-on luggage, picking seats, or boarding pass print-outs, and not allowing cash payments at check-in desks or to buy items on board.

‘Baseless’ 

Ryanair described the fines as “unlawful and baseless”, saying that its bag policies had already been approved in “multiple Spanish and EU court hearings”. 

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said that the fines “had been invented for political reasons”. 

“Ryanair has for many years used bag fees and airport check-in fees to change passenger behaviour, and we pass on these cost savings in the form of lower fares to consumers,” he stated. 

Citing EU regulations on air services, O’Leary said that the EU courts had “repeatedly” defended the right of all EU airlines to set prices and policies.