The Italian Competition Authority (ICA) concluded two proceedings into the low cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air launched in September and October 2018. ICA’s investigation ascertained that the changes made by the two airlines to their rules for transportation of large carry-on luggage, i.e. pull-along cases, deceive the consumer about the actual price of the ticket , as this no longer includes an essential element of the air transport contract - the "large carry-on luggage”-  in the basic fare. The changes made are therefore to be regarded an unfair commercial practice.

The two investigations showed that from 1 November 2018 on the two companies allow passengers to carry only one small bag to be placed under the seat, and not the pull-along case, with a significant reduction of the available space (respectively - 65 % and - 52%).  The space in aircrafts formerly devoted to the transport of large carry-on luggage (the overhead lockers) is used now by Ryanair and Wizz Air for the new paid service.

The investigations also showed that the consumption habit of almost all passengers is to travel with large carry-on luggage with them.

Furthermore, carry-on luggage constitutes an essential element of the air transport service and carrying it along without incurring any additional cost must always be permitted. In fact, also according to European air transport legislation, foreseeable and inevitable supplements must be included in the basic price of the service presented at first contact and therefore cannot be split from it with the request for additional sums.

Therefore, when requesting a supplement for large carry-on luggage, varying between 5 and 25 euros (depending on whether the purchase is made at the time of booking, at check-in or at the gate), the two companies increase the price of the ticket in a non-transparent manner, removing from the tariff an essential, foreseeable and inevitable service to passengers.

Herein arises the deception for consumers, as the price to be paid at the end of the booking process will almost always be higher than the tariff that is presented at the beginning of the process when the customer is drawn in, as well as the alteration of the process of comparison with the prices of other air carriers that include carry-on luggage in their fares.

 ICA fined Ryanair and Wizzair 3 million and 1 million euros, respectively. The airlines will have to inform ICA about the measures taken to comply with the Authority’s decision within 60 days.

 Rome, 21 February 2019