In a landmark decision, the Ministry of Social Rights and Consumer Affairs in Spain has imposed fines totalling nearly €179 million on five low-cost airlines - Ryanair, EasyJet, Norwegian, Vueling, and Volotea. The airlines are accused of engaging in "abusive practices" such as charging for carry-on baggage and requiring fees for adjacent seats for accompanying dependent passengers.
Ryanair face the largest penalty of €107.7 million, followed by Vueling with €39.2 million. EasyJet was fined €29.09 million, Norwegian €1.6 million, and Volotea €1.18 million. According to the ministry, these fines are intended to address "very serious" violations of consumer protection laws.
The investigation, initiated by Spain’s General Directorate of Consumer Affairs in 2023, is the first time the General Administration of the State has upheld such significant fines in consumer-related matters.
Since the Ministry of Consumer Affairs gained sanctioning authority in June 2022, this decision sets a precedent for holding businesses accountable for exploitative practices.
Prohibited Practices
The ruling specifically bans practices such as:
The fines were calculated based on the profits airlines derived from these practices, in accordance with consumer law regulations.
Legal Appeals and Industry Response
Ryanair has announced plans to "immediately" appeal the decision. In a statement, CEO Michael O’Leary labelled the fines as "politically motivated" and a violation of European Union law. He emphasized that Ryanair’s baggage and check-in policies have been upheld by multiple Spanish and EU courts, including a recent ruling in Barcelona.
O’Leary argued that these policies were designed to reduce costs for consumers by enabling lower fares. He expressed confidence that EU courts would overturn the fines, which he described as based on outdated laws from the 1960s, predating Spain’s EU membership.
Implications for the Airlines
The sanctions also include an explicit prohibition on continuing the penalised practices. The ministry's order effectively closes the administrative process, giving the airlines two months to file appeals with Spain's National Court. If no legal action is taken within this period, the fines will become enforceable.
This decision reflects a broader push by consumer advocacy groups and regulatory bodies to curb exploitative practices in the aviation industry. However, the strong backlash from airlines, particularly Ryanair, suggests that the legal battle over these sanctions is far from over.
