Airlines operating in the European Union may soon be barred from charging passengers for a standard piece of cabin baggage. Under proposed reforms to EU air passenger rights, travellers with a standard ticket would be allowed to bring two pieces of hand luggage on board free of charge.
For many passengers, the change could make a noticeable difference. Budget airlines often advertise low fares, only for the price to rise sharply once travellers add a cabin bag, reported by Heute. The new rules are intended to prevent such unexpected charges.
The European Parliament and EU member states reached a provisional agreement in June on a wide-ranging reform of air passenger rights. One of its central provisions would allow passengers to carry a personal item, such as a handbag or small backpack that fits under the seat, as well as a larger piece of hand luggage.
Under the planned rules, the larger bag could weigh up to seven kilograms and measure no more than 100 centimetres in total dimensions. If adopted, the measure would remove some of the additional fees currently imposed by certain airlines for cabin baggage on standard fares.
The change will not take effect immediately. The June agreement is only an intermediate step in the EU legislative process, and the proposals must still pass through further formal procedures. The new baggage rules could come into force no earlier than the end of 2027, with October 2027 currently seen as a more realistic starting date.
Until then, existing regulations and the individual baggage policies of airlines will continue to apply.
Airlines would still be permitted to offer cheaper fares for passengers who choose not to bring additional hand luggage. This means a pricing model could remain in place for travellers who fly with only a small personal item stored beneath the seat.
It remains unclear, however, how airlines will structure their fares once the new rules take effect.
The baggage provisions form only one part of the proposed reform. The EU also plans to revise other passenger rights, including rules on delays, cancellations and compensation.
