RYANAIR SPAIN: SPANISH COURT BANS ‘ABUSIVE’ RYANAIR HAND LUGGAGE FEES

A COURT in Spain has ruled today (Wednesday) that Ryanair’s policy of charging customers for items of carry-on baggage is “abusive” and infringes both Spanish and European law.

The ruling came after a passenger was charged with €20 (£17) when boarding a plane in Madrid earlier this year, several months after the Irish carrier had introduced charges for carry-on baggage – exceeding handbag or small rucksack dimensions of 40cm x 20cm x 25cm.

However, the judge in Madrid’s mercantile court sided with the customer in the ruling and the budget airline must now return the €20 to the passenger.

The judge was stated to say that airlines cannot charge for a hand baggage which has dimensions and weight that could perfectly be transported in the cabin.

In a statement to the Telegraph Ryanair has claimed the ruling will not affect its policy, adding that the ruling has: “misquoted the European Court of Justice (ECU)” and misinterpreted the airlines’ commercial freedom to determine the size of their cabin baggage.