Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002169/2025/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Kountoura (The Left)
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has recently lodged a complaint with the European Commission about unfair commercial practices by certain ‘low-cost’ airlines, which subject consumers to unreasonable charges for their hand baggage[1]. These unacceptable practices violate EU consumer law, the Air Services Regulation and the relevant CJEU case law, in particular judgment C-487/12 of 2014, which recognises hand baggage as an integral part of passenger air transport and states that it should not incur additional charges, ‘on condition that such hand baggage meets reasonable requirements in terms of its weight and dimensions’[2].
In view of the European Parliament resolution of October 2023 calling on the Commission to revise the current EU legislation on air services and to implement the relevant CJEU ruling[3], can the Commission answer the following:
- 1.What measures does it intend to take, within its competences, to support the effective implementation of the relevant CJEU ruling by airlines?
- 2.Does it intend to support the clarification/harmonisation of the rules on hand baggage and the definition thereof in the revision of the passenger rights regulation[4] to ensure the protection of consumers / air passengers in the EU?
- 3.Alternatively, does it intend to propose a specific definition of the term ‘reasonable requirements in terms of the weight and dimensions’ of hand baggage in the upcoming revision of Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008, on the basis of the relevant CJEU ruling?
Submitted: 30.5.2025
- [1] These companies impose additional charges on passengers for carrying hand baggage, which are often not displayed from the outset when searching for and comparing prices between the options on offer. https://www.beuc.eu/press-release/eu-consumer-groups-denounce-seven-airlines-charging-hand-baggage
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:62012CJ0487
- [3] According to the resolution, harmonising requirements on the size, weight and type of hand baggage for all airlines operating in the European Union would enhance transparency and consumer protection for all air travellers. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0344_EN.html
- [4] The regulation is already in the process of being revised by the co-legislators. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52023PC0753.