New rules for major airlines on small bags approved by MEPs
Passengers flying on EU airlines could soon be allowed to carry handbags weighing up to 7kg without facing additional charges, if a proposed law is approved. On Tuesday (June 24), the European Parliament's transport committee gave the go-ahead to an amendment that would eliminate fees for small carry-on bags.
Several airlines, including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air, currently impose charges for larger cabin bags (those intended for the overhead locker) within their standard fares. These airlines only include a small under-seat bag in the basic ticket price.
However, other airlines such as British Airways and Jet2 include a larger cabin bag within their standard fares. Officials propose that passengers should be allowed one free cabin bag weighing up to 7kg and not exceeding 100cm, along with another smaller personal item that can fit under the seat.
Move could affect all EU flights
This potential policy would apply to all flights to and from the EU, which includes routes between the EU and the UK, reports Bristol Live. A significant majority of MEPs voted in favour of amending EU passenger rights laws, adopting a stance on a new passenger rights bill with 38 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions. The finer points of the proposed EU regulations are currently under discussion among member states, with Spain signalling its support for the revisions, reports Cornwall Live.
Transport Committee member Jens Gieseke said: "Our proposals are intended to strengthen passenger confidence and encourage companies to develop more attractive multimodal offers. They set out clear, reasonable obligations for carriers – and at the same time ensure passengers are not abandoned."
However, there are concerns within the aviation sector that these new regulations might bump up the prices of flight tickets for all travellers, irrespective of their luggage amount. One industry head revealed confusion.
Ourania Georgoutsakou, the managing director of travel lobby group Airlines for Europe, said: "What's next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket? The European Parliament should let travellers decide what services they want, what services they pay for and, importantly, what services they don't."
Airlines for Europe raises doubts over MEP plans
Adding to the concerns, Airlines for Europe suggested that the execution of this rule could be problematic due to operational stumbling blocks. They told the EU transport committee that an average plane with seats for 180 passengers can handle about 90 cabin bags in its overhead compartments.
Nonetheless, the committee says airlines must not levy extra fees for certain seating choices, especially when it comes to children under the age of 12. The committee champions a standard procedure for managing compensation and reimbursement claims.
European consumer rights organisation BEUC has commended the European Parliament's latest move. Steven Berger, the leading legal officer at BEUC, said: "This is a basic consumer expectation, and it fully aligns with the Court of Justice's ruling that reasonable-sized hand luggage cannot be subject to additional fees."
In May, BEUC launched a complaint urging the European Commission and national consumer protection agencies to look into the cabin baggage charges imposed by carriers including easyJet, Norwegian Airlines, Ryanair, Volotea, Vueling, Transavia, and Wizz Air, arguing the pricing practices were illegitimate.
The transport committee is now poised to skip preliminary discussions stage and proceed to negotiations with EU member states.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
a minute ago
- The Sun
The 3 holiday hotspots with highest risk of deadly ‘suitcase viruses' that attack organs and cause ‘debilitating' pain
WITH 'suitcase viruses' making a comeback in recent years, experts are urging Brits travelling abroad to take extra precautions. Holidaymakers travelling to three popular European destinations could be at risk of two deadly viruses. 2 Mosquitoes carrying viruses can travel in suitcases, often unnoticed, and pose a risk of introducing diseases to new areas. Two mosquito-borne viruses most prevalent at the moment, particularly for travellers returning to the UK, are dengue fever and chikungunya. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently warned of a "worrying increase in chikunyunga cases" among travellers returning to the UK. Chikungunya virus is primarily spread to humans through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. Described as a "nasty disease", it causes severe joint and muscle pain, headaches, sensitivity to light and skin rashes. While Chikungunya is generally not considered fatal, it can be in very rare cases, particularly among vulnerable populations like the very young, elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions. Most recently, there's been an outbreak in China, with 7,000 cases reported, mostly across the city of Foshan, in the southern province of Guangdong, sparking global fears. In 2024, 904 dengue cases were recorded in returning travellers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland - up from 631 in 2023 - with all cases linked to travel abroad. Like chikungunya, dengue fever is spread through the bite of infected aedes mosquitoes. In its mild form, dengue fever causes fever and a rash and lasts about a week. What is Chikungunya Severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and death. About one out of 20 people with dengue will develop severe dengue within a few hours after symptoms start. To stop the number of cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever increasing, UK health officials recommend keeping up-to-date on health risks in different countries. And a new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has revealed the holiday hotspots in Europe with the highest number cases of chikunyunga and dengue fever currently. Chikunyunga Since the beginning of 2025, and as of August 13, two countries in Europe have reported cases of chikungunya - France and Italy. So far, France has reported 111 cases of locally-acquired chikungunya in 22 different clusters. And compared to the previous week, the number of cases has increased by 48 cases. Areas in France where cases have been reported include Charente (five cases in one cluster), Côte-d'Or (one case in one cluster), and Haute-Corse (two cases in one cluster). Two new cases were reported in two new clusters in Alpes-Maritime and a one new case in a new cluster in Isère. The largest clusters are located in Vitrolles, with an increase of 20 cases in the last week, Grosseto-Prugna, Salon-de-Provence, Grans, and Lambesc, Castries, Poulx and Caveirac. In the last week, Italy has reported five new cases in three new clusters - three cases in Modena and two cases in Verona province. Dengue fever Since the beginning of this year up until now, dengue fever has also been reported in France and Italy - 11 cases in France, and four in Italy. But Portugal has also reported two. The are currently six clusters reported in France, located in Aubagne, and Bouches-du-Rhône. In the last week, a new case has been reported in Vicenza province in Italy. And the cases in Portugal, reported in January, were in Madeira, and probably transmitted in 2024, says the ECDC. Is it safe to travel to these countries? 2 It's considered safe to travel to Europe, including areas with reported chikungunya and dengue fever cases. Most reported cases of the viruses in Europe are imported, meaning they are contracted by travellers returning from affected areas outside of Europe. However, local transmission is increasing due to the spread of mosquitoes like the aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito). So when travelling abroad it's crucial to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Follow the tips below... HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST CHIKUNYUNGA AND DENGUE FEVER PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES Use insect repellent: Apply a repellent containing DEET, IR3535, or picaridin to exposed skin, following product label instructions. Wear protective clothing: Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes, especially during peak mosquito activity times (early morning and early evening). Use mosquito nets: Sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, especially in areas with poor window and door screening. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE Consult a doctor or travel clinic: Before travelling to areas with known outbreaks, consult with a doctor or travel clinic for specific advice and potential vaccinations or preventative medications. Consider vaccination: If travelling to high-risk areas, inquire about available vaccines for dengue or chikungunya. OTHER IMPORTANT MEASURES Stay informed: Keep up-to-date on local mosquito-borne disease outbreaks and recommendations. Be aware of symptoms: Familiarise yourself with the symptoms of chikungunya and dengue, including fever, joint pain, headache, and rash. Seek medical care: If you develop symptoms, seek prompt medical attention. Pregnant women: Pregnant women should take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites, as infection can be harmful to the fetus.
Reuters
a minute ago
- Reuters
Morning Bid: Caution on Ukraine, eyes on Jackson Hole
LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Mike Dolan, opens new tab, Editor-At-Large, Finance and Markets Subdued world markets eyed proposals for a Ukraine-Russia summit with caution, while updates on the shaky U.S. housing market on Tuesday and this week's Federal Reserve conference in Jackson Hole dominated thinking. European stock benchmarks nudged higher and the defence sector slipped after U.S. President Donald Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Washington would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any peace deal to end Russia's war. Germany said Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet within the next two weeks. In response, the euro firmed against the dollar, crude oil ticked lower and gold edged up. * U.S. Treasuries have been on the backfoot since the alarming U.S. producer price report last week, with 30-year bond yields holding just shy of 4.95% on Tuesday and the two-to-30 year yield curve gap firming above 117 basis points for the first time since January 2022. With July housing starts on the diary later, along with a retail update from Home Depot, Fed futures currently price just over an 80% chance of a quarter point rate cut next month. Fed Chair Jerome Powell gives his keynote Jackson Hole speech on Friday. * S&P Global on Monday affirmed its 'AA+' U.S. sovereign credit rating and assigned it a stable outlook, saying the revenue from Trump's tariffs will offset the deficit hit from his recent fiscal bill and the budget gap would average 6% of GDP during the 2025-2028 period - down from 7.5% in 2024. Wall Street stock futures were flat ahead of Tuesday's bell after ending little changed yesterday, with Chinese and Japanese stocks in the red earlier. * Palo Alto Networks forecast revenue and profit above estimates on Monday, betting on growing demand for its artificial intelligence-powered cybersecurity solutions - sending its shares up 5% in extended trading. In other tech news, Intel is getting a $2 billion capital injection from SoftBank Group in a vote of confidence for the troubled U.S. chipmaker and Nvidia is developing a new AI chip for China based on its latest Blackwell architecture that will be more powerful than the H20 model it is currently allowed to sell there. Today's Market Minute * Intel (INTC.O), is getting a $2 billion capital injection from SoftBank Group, in a major vote of confidence for the troubled U.S. chipmaker that is in the middle of a turnaround effort. * Nvidia (NVDA.O), is developing a new AI chip for China based on its latest Blackwell architecture that will be more powerful than the H20 model it is currently allowed to sell there, two people briefed on the matter said. * U.S. President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday that the United States would help guarantee Ukraine's security in any deal to end Russia's war there, though the extent of any assistance was not immediately clear. * Trump's high-stakes diplomacy to resolve the war in Ukraine is unlikely to jolt oil and gas markets, no matter the outcome, writes ROI energy columnist Ron Bousso. * Consumer spending's surprising resilience is a key reason why the economy has not only avoided recession, but continued to grow at a solid clip. The big question now, writes ROI markets columnist Jamie McGeever, is whether American households can keep that going, especially with higher, tariff-fueled prices coming down the pike. Chart of the day With Fed Chair Powell's speech at Jackson Hole on Friday watched closely for any signal about a resumption of Fed easing, the two key metrics on unemployment and inflation have changed little since the 2024 setpiece that flagged the first series of Fed cuts. Today's events to watch * U.S. July housing starts/permits (8:30 AM EDT); Canada July consumer prices (8:30 AM EDT) * Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman speaks * U.S. corporate earnings: Home Depot, Medtronic, Keysight, Jack Henry Want to receive the Morning Bid in your inbox every weekday morning? Sign up for the newsletter here. You can find ROI on the Reuters website, opens new tab, and you can follow us on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X., opens new tab Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, opens new tab, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.
Reuters
a minute ago
- Reuters
Rupee logs biggest rise in over a month as traders see risks of additional US tariff ebbing
MUMBAI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee saw its biggest rise in over a month on Tuesday over optimism that U.S. may ease its stance on the additional 25% tariffs imposed on domestic goods after Donald Trump met with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents. The rupee strengthened 0.46% to 86.9500 per U.S. dollar, against Monday's close of 87.3500. The rupee's appreciation follows a White House summit with European leaders on Monday where U.S. President Donald Trump assured Ukraine's President Zelenskiy that Washington would help guarantee its security in any deal to end the war with Russia. "The rupee rallied as concerns eased over potential U.S. tariffs tied to India's imports of Russian oil," said Jigar Trivedi, senior currency analyst at Reliance Securities. Stronger domestic consumption and renewed investor interest is also likely to support the rupee, Trivedi added. The local currency was also bolstered by growth optimism following New Delhi's proposal to cut tax rates. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned cuts on goods and services tax (GST) – the biggest such reform in eight years - is expected to support consumption and has lifted sentiment for the rupee. Economists said the measures could provide a near-term boost to growth momentum and help offset the drag from weak external conditions. "The measures, if sustained, may help bring back foreign portfolio flows that had been negative in recent weeks," said Amit Pabari, managing director of CR Forex. Asian currencies were largely muted against the dollar, ahead of a key the speech of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speech at Jackson Hole on Friday, as this could provide clues on the interest rate trajectory in the world's largest economy. Meanwhile, the dollar index was down 0.11% at 98.012 as on 1538 IST.
