By Pierre Bertrand
Spain's social rights and consumer affairs ministry fined Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Volotea a combined 179 million euros ($187.5 million) over their cabin-luggage surcharges and other practices the ministry called abusive.
The largest fine, 107.8 million euros, went to Ryanair, the ministry said Friday. Vueling was fined 39.3 million euros, and easyJet was fined 29.1 million euros. Meanwhile, Norwegian and Volotea received fines of 1.6 million and 1.2 million euros, respectively.
The companies were fined for practices including charging extra for hand luggage or reserving adjacent seats to accompany dependent persons, the ministry said.
The ministry also cited charges it called disproportionate and abusive for printing of boarding passes, and omissions and lack of clarity regarding prices published on airlines' own websites and on those of third parties.
The companies were prohibited from continuing to carry out the sanctioned practices, the ministry said.
Ryanair and easyJet said they would appeal the fine. Norwegian said that it strongly disagreed with the decision and said that it would be in touch with both Spanish and European Union authorities.
Vueling, part of International Consolidated Airline Group, referred any comment to Spain's airline association, ALA, which criticized the fines Friday. Spain's Volotea had no comment.
Each of the companies plans to appeal the decision and will seek an interim injunction in the courts to suspend its effects, said Javier Gandara, president of ALA.
Gandara said the fines came as a surprise, adding that they wouldn't result in any change to commercial policies and would harm airlines and the broader tourism sector.
Write to Pierre Bertrand at pierre.bertrand@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 22, 2024 05:57 ET (10:57 GMT)
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