Euroconsumers celebrates as OCU wins big with a €179 Million fine from Spanish authorities against airlines for abusive practices

Victory for passengers! After a complaint made by Euroconsumers’ member OCU, The Spanish Consumer Authority just handed Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, Norwegian, and Volotea a massive €179 million fine for their unfair practices. This landmark ruling, celebrated by Euroconsumers’ Spanish organization OCU, is a giant leap forward for passenger rights.

What’s the damage?

These fines address a range of unfair practices, including:

Charging extra for hand luggage that fits within reasonable size and weight limits.
Failing to clearly show the total price of tickets upfront.
Demanding extra fees for necessities, like seat reservations for families traveling with minors
or people with special needs.
Refusing to accept cash payments at airports or onboard.
Even charging €20 to reprint boarding passes

Ryanair took the heaviest hit, with a staggering €107 million fine, followed by Vueling (€39 million), EasyJet (€29 million), Norwegian (€1.6 million), and Volotea (€1.2 million).

Not Without My Hand Luggage

Earlier this year, Euroconsumers launched its Not Without My Hand Luggage campaign to combat unfair hand luggage fees and ensure airlines respect passengers’ rights. This initiative mobilized
support across Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Belgium, highlighting the need for clear, fair airline policies. Euroconsumers and its national organizations in Belgium, Portugal, and Italy will carefully assess the
implications of this decision and evaluate next steps to ensure consistent consumer protection.

For more details, read OCU’s full statement here.

Read our press release here.