EU to ban airlines from charging for hand luggage

The European Parliament has approved a law which will ban airlines from charging passengers extra for carry-on luggage. Passengers will also have more room to claim compensation for delays.

EU approves ban on hand luggage fees

After years of negotiation, the EU has secured a deal that improves air passenger rights. Among the new rules, airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers for bringing small hand luggage items on the plane.

Last year, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favour of banning airlines from charging hand luggage fees, but further approval was needed. Now, the plan is set to go ahead and will likely be implemented from 2027. 

Under the new rules, airline passengers travelling within the EU will have the right to carry a personal bag, such as a handbag or rucksack measuring 40x30x15 centimetres, and a small hand luggage bag weighing no more than 7 kilograms, free of charge. 

However, airlines will "retain the freedom to determine their pricing structures", the EU Parliament explained in a press release. This means flight prices could increase if airlines decide to offer cheaper tickets to passengers who choose to travel without hand luggage. So instead of charging more to take hand luggage, they could charge less for those travelling without it.

Strengthening passenger rights in the EU

Hand luggage fees aren’t the only upcoming change for airlines. While airlines have been pushing to charge for hand luggage and lower compensation for delays, especially with rising jet fuel prices, the European Parliament is maintaining the passenger’s right to compensation.

If a flight is delayed by more than three hours or cancelled, a passenger can claim compensation ranging from 250 to 600 euros, depending on the flight distance. Airlines can reduce compensation by 50 percent for long flights by offering alternative flights or if the problem was caused by an event beyond the airline’s control, such as a natural disaster, weather, war or strikes. 

MEPs also want to ensure that airlines seat children under 14 years old next to the adult accompanying them at no extra cost. “The same right will apply to passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility, and to pregnant women,” according to a press release by the European Parliament.