Spain’s consumer affairs ministry has fined five low-cost carriers a total of €179 million ($187 million), alleging abusive practices against customers – with Ryanair bearing the heaviest burden.
The ministry has imposed a €107.8 million sanction against the Irish airline, while Vueling and EasyJet have respectively been given €39.2 million and €29 million penalties.
According to the ministry the carriers have engaged in practices such as charging extra for cabin baggage or reserving adjacent seats in order to accompany dependent passengers.
Norwegian and Volotea have received smaller fines of €1.6 million and nearly €1.2 million.
Consumer affairs minister Pablo Bustinduy has rejected appeals filed by the airlines, the ministry states, following an investigation initiated last year.
It adds that the alleged practices are considered “very serious” violations of consumer regulations.
The sanctions include prohibiting the carriers from continuing with such practices, which also include not allowing cash payments at Spanish airports and requiring a “disproportionate” fee to print boarding passes.
According to the ministry the fines can reach up to six or eight times the “illicit” benefit obtained by the airlines in order to ensure “effectiveness” and to serve as a deterrent.
Administrative appeals can be filed within a two-month period, it adds.
Ryanair says it intends to appeal “immediately”, describing the fines as “illegal and unfounded” and claiming they violate European Union law.
Chief executive Michael O’Leary argues that the carrier’s baggage and check-in policies are used to “modify passenger behaviour” and says EU law allows carriers to set prices and policies “without government interference”.
He says the fines are intended to “undermine” low-cost carriers flying in Spain and that imposing them would be detrimental to the ability of these airlines to generate consumer savings.
