By Pablo de Ronda and The Spanish Fly
The world’s large
st and most successful low-cost airline, Ryanair, has been handed a massive fine for illegal charging of its customers. Three other budget carriers, EasyJet, Voltea and Vueling, were also fined.
Ryanair, the Irish airline, has been found guilty by the Spanish government of levying hand luggage charges and other irregularities, and has been handed a fine in excess of 100 million euros. The other airlines involved received lesser penalties.
FACUA, Spain’s consumer affairs watchdog, has been lobbying for the government to clamp down on these charges for six years. Their perseverance has finally paid off, although the airlines in question are likely to appeal.
Until now the highest such fine imposed was by the Junta de Andalucia on mobile phone company Movistar in 2016 for illegally raising their tariffs. That fine was a mere 6.23 million euros, although it was later reduced to 1.53 million on appeal.
For more information visit FACUA’s website at https://facua.org
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consumer affairs watchdog, easyJet, FACUA, Junta de Andalucia, Movistar, Pablo de Ronda, Ryanair, Spanish Fly, Spanish government, Voltea, Vueling