Unsurprisingly, the International Air Transport Association and its Director General Willie Walsh have wasted no time at all to blast last week's decision by Spain to fine airlines. On Friday, Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry fined five low-cost carriers €179 million ($186m) for so-called abusive practices . Why Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry fined airlines The Ministry first announced the fines in May, and last week, it upheld them after dismissing appeals lodged by the airlines.
These are the biggest sanctions issued by the Ministry and emanate from an investigation into the budget airline industry . The so-called abusive practices and violations of consumer rights included charging for larger carry-on luggage, seat selection and asking for a "disproportionate amount" to print boarding passes at terminals. According to the BBC , the Ministry said the fines were issued because the airlines were found to have provided misleading information and were not transparent with prices, "which hinders consumers ability to compare offers" and make informed decisions.
The fines, which totaled €179 million ($186m), were issued to five low-cost carriers: Ryanair ($112m), Vueling ($41m), easyJet ($30m), Norwegian Airlines ($1.7m) and Volotea ($1.3m).
The Ministry calculated each fine based on the "illicit profit" obtained by each airline from these practices. What IATA has to say about the outcome On November 22, 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a state.
