Airlines, all clarifications and new EU rules on hand luggage and compensation

There is no charge for hand luggage to be placed under the seat on board an aircraft. This is the firm point established by the transport ministers of the EU member states meeting in Brussels in recent days to define the new regulation on passengers' rights and clarify what is to be paid for and what instead must be paid for. The case of trolleys up to 10 kilograms to be stowed in the overhead compartment, which remain subject to payment, is different. In the jungle of air transport, clarity has been achieved in the face of the proliferation of airlines charging for this additional service by putting it in black and white that a single piece of luggage, a small suitcase or a backpack travels for free.

The battle against airline ticket surcharges saw Spain at the forefront when last November Madrid condemned five airlines for abusive practices. The 179 million euro fine concerns, among other things, additional costs for hand luggage.

The European airlines. on their side, have always argued for a different interpretation of the jurisprudence according to which under European law and the single market, carriers have the right to unbundle their services in order to offer passengers the best possible package, explain representatives of A4E (Airlines for Europe).

The proposal is part of a broader project to reform the rights of EU air passengers, which envisages a revision of the 12-year-old regulation that also concerns compensation for flight delays. A controversial passage on which the EU ministers agreed that for journeys of less than 3,500 kilometres and within the EU a compensation of EUR 300 applies for delays of more than four hours. While for journeys of more than 3,500 kilometres a compensation of EUR 500 applies for delays of more than 6 hours.

It is currently possible to claim compensation of between €250 and €600 for delays of three hours or more. The directive applies to any flight departing from an EU airport, regardless of the nationality of the airline, and to flights arriving in the EU if operated by an EU airline. It does not apply, however, to flights to Europe operated by non-EU companies (e.g. British), nor to non-EU flights with a stopover in Europe. The upper limit is thus extended, but the ceiling is lowered to EUR 500 from EUR 600. Airlines were demanding thresholds of between five and nine hours to trigger compensation "which cost the carriers at least €5 billion in costs without having any effect on reducing delays and cancellations," complained Iata, the airline association.