More rights for those who fly: the EU commission changes the rules on luggage, reimbursements and fragile passengers. The low cost threatens uploads
Air tickets of 20 euros, which double, however, if you bring with you a sweater and a pair of more shoes? Hand baggage in recent years has become the number one enemy of travelers and a billionaire business for low cost airlines. And now? The farewell to the trolley for a fee could arrive in the hat when flying. The Transport Commission (tran) of the European Parliament has approved some changes to EU standards, in force since 20024, on the rights of air transport passengers. Among the main changes: faster reimbursements and 7 kg of free hand luggage. The latter novelty that airlines do not like, in particular at Low cost for which extra ticket services, including the transport of luggage, represent at least 15% of all collections. And in fact they immediately warned: the risk is the increase in basic airline tickets.
What does the European reform on air travel includes: free hand luggage, facilitated refunds and reserved places
The package of reforms that will now go to the vote of the Europeanization in plenary between 7 and 10 July first establishes that each passenger has the right to bring free of charge on board, in addition to a personal object as happens now (the handbag or the backpack), also a small hand luggage (max 7 kg and 100 cm overall), as it was a few years ago. A measure that puts an end to the practice of paying a supplement for simple cabin trolley. The other novelty provides for the introduction of a single form to request reimbursements in the event of significant cancellations or delays, to be presented within 48 hours. The agencies and sales platforms will have to respond within 14 days, with the airline forced to take over within seven days in the event of default. Then comes the right to free (and not with a paid choice) next to children under 12 years of age, an obligation of clear information on multimodal tickets and responsibilities of the sellers in case of non -communication. People with disabilities will be able to travel with a free escort and will be entitled to compensation in case of damage to the wheelchair or the assistance animal.
The protest of low cost: “So prices and delays increase”
The reaction of low cost airlines was immediate. The Italian Association of Low Fares (AICALF) airlines has warned that the obligation of free luggage in the cabin will cause an inevitable increase in the basic prices of tickets, to the detriment of all, therefore, also of travelers who fly only with the backpack. Low cost also underline a practical problem: the limited capacity of the hatters, with consequent chaos for boarding and landings and therefore consequent delays on flights. Behind the criticisms of low cost are the numbers of a billionaire business. Only in 2024, European passengers spent over 10 billion euros to embark a trolley on board low cost flights, a figure higher than the cost of tickets themselves in many cases. In fact, the transport of hand luggage represents one of the most profitable gain items for the companies: in some low cost, it reaches up to 85% of the extra ticket revenues. According to the data of the IATA, the turnover of the air sector will exceed the thousand billion euros in 2025, with 124 billion deriving from additional services such as the choice of the place or luggage. On average, these revenues are worth about 15% of the total, but for low cost are often essential to the survival of the business model.
The reform, which the MEP is preparing to approve, represents a decisive step towards greater protection of passengers, but places Brussels in front of a dilemma: how to guarantee transparency and rights without compromising the accessibility of air transport, especially for the less wealthy bands?
