EU plans to scrap airline fees for hand luggage

MEPs have approved a plan to strengthen passenger rights legislation. Among other changes, the new regulations would ban airlines from charging travellers for carrying a personal bag and small hand luggage.

MEPs vote to ban flight hand luggage fees

The EU’s Transport and Tourism Committee has voted in favour of amending the bloc’s passenger rights regulations to include a ban on airlines charging passengers for small hand luggage.

Under the new rules, airline passengers travelling in the EU will have the right to carry a personal bag, such as a handbag or rucksack, and a small hand luggage bag on their flight free of charge.

Passengers’ personal bags can have maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 centimetres, while the small hand luggage bag may sport maximum dimensions of 100 cm and 7 kilogrammes. Airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers any money for carrying these items.

“Today's vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel,” rapporteur on enforcement of passenger rights Matteo Ricci (Italy, S&D) said in a press release. Ricci added that a clear definition of free hand luggage up to a maximum size was “a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs” and that increased transparency “ensure[s] a fairer and more efficient system”. 

What other new travel regulations will the EU introduce?

Banning airlines’ hand luggage fees isn’t the only change on the agenda. If the committee’s plan receives further approval, transport ticket vendors and retailers will be required to disclose the total booking cost earlier in the booking process. MEPs also want to ensure that airlines seat children under 12 years old next to their accompanying passenger at no extra cost.

MEPs also plan to introduce a bloc-wide travel compensation form. In the event of significant travel disruption, airlines will be required to contact affected passengers with a partially completed compensation form and initiate the reimbursement process within 48 hours. The entire reimbursement process should not take longer than 14 days.

In the next stage of the legislative process, members of the Transport and Tourism Committee will discuss the new policies with EU member states before the legislation is voted on in July 2025.