Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S OCU consumer association has submitted a ‘test case’ to the National Court over Ryanair charging for hand luggage.
The legal action seeks to stop the Irish carrier from continuing to impose the levy.
The OCU says it wants such charges declared as ‘abusive’, following €179 million of fines recently imposed on five airlines for various practices.
READ MORE:
- Ryanair faces more fines in Spain: Andalucia sanctions airline for ‘abusive luggage surcharges’
- Ryanair stokes row with Spain: Boss Michael O’Leary dresses Spanish minister as a clown in new ‘message’ following mammoth hand luggage fines
- Ryanair boss O’Leary says Spain’s Consumer Affairs minister is a ‘crazy communist’ for fining company €107m over abusive practices
It added that its move is line with the Consumer Affairs ministry imposing the penalties- the biggest one of €107 million going to Ryanair.
All five companies- Ryanair, Vueling, Easyjet, Volotea, and Norwegian- have launched appeals.
The OCU in a statement said: “Unfortunately, the affected airlines have appealed the fines, which will allow them to continue imposing these surcharges.”
“In order to expedite the resolution of the dispute and benefit all affected consumers, we have filed a lawsuit against Ryanair to confirm in court the abusive nature of the surcharge imposed for carrying hand luggage unless it is for safety reason,” it continued.
The association also recommends that air passengers complaints about the ‘invalidity of these surcharges’, and those who have already done so should retain the documents ‘reflecting these abuses in order to pursue them in court if necessary’.
The OCU says it received 1,139 complaints about Ryanair last year via its online Reclamar platform.
248 complaints were specifically about hand luggage charges.
