A court rules against Ryanair’s carry-on bags policy

A court told Ryanair to give back the 139.98 euros they charged a couple for moving hand luggage that weighed less than 10 kilos. This is a service that should have been included in the price of the ticket.

The High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community said that the Irish company had to pay back the couple 91.98 euros for the trip from Alicante to Lodz, Poland, plus 48 euros for the trip back, plus two points of interest on top of that.

Ryanair said that the plaintiffs knew about the terms of the contract when they bought their ticket and that there was an extra charge for having carry-on luggage that was bigger than what was allowed.

“Whether an airline can charge an additional supplement to a passenger for transporting his or her hand luggage; understanding the term “hand luggage” not to mean a small bag or purchases made at the airport, but those additional suitcases or backpacks in which the passenger carries his or her personal belongings.” This was the judge’s question for both sides.

The judge looks at the current laws and past cases on the subject and comes to the conclusion that ‘it must be considered that said hand luggage is an essential part of the transportation of passengers and that its transportation, therefore, cannot be subject to a price supplement, provided that said luggage meets reasonable demands related to its weight and dimensions and complies with the applicable safety requirements’.

So, “the airline cannot charge an additional supplement for the carrying of said luggage, unless it is justified that it does not respond to said reasonable demands, which has not occurred in the present procedure, or the airline proves that the carrying of said hand luggage on the plane entails an additional cost.”

As a result of the changes made to Law 37/2011 on streamlining procedures, Ryanair has been told to pay the legal fees for this case. They can’t appeal this decision.