KLM accused of profiteering with trial of hand baggage charges
The consumer rights watchdog Consumentenbond has accused KLM of raising charges for hand luggage by stealth by trialling no-frills fares on several European routes this autumn.
KLM is introducing “basic” fares from Amsterdam and Paris to nine destinations including Vienna, Stockholm and Dublin.
Passengers will only be allowed to take one small suitcase with a maximum size of 40cm x 30cm x 15cm, unless they pay extra for a second bag, a formula already used by many budget airlines.
According to the Consumentenbond the price of a return ticket will be €8 cheaper on average, but the charge for taking hand luggage will be €28.
“Consumers will be paying an extra €20 on average for a return flight,” said managing director Sandra Molenaar. “It’s simple profiteering by KLM.”
The Consumentenbond has added KLM and its sister airline Air France to a list of seven carriers who are the subject of a mass claim for imposing unfair charges.
The organisation said KLM’s new tariffs were confusing for passengers and contravened a European court ruling from 2014 that said a plane ticket should always allow passengers to take a reasonable amount of luggage for no extra cost.
“Travellers assume they can take a wheeled suitcase on board for free with KLM,” said Molenaar. “That’s now changing for some destinations without being announced clearly.”
KLM rejected the accusation and said it was bearing in mind ongoing discussions in the EU about standardising the rules for hand luggage.
“We are facing challenges in the area of hand luggage because we see people are taking more with them. Because this can lead to delays and arguments with passengers, we are now proposing this charge,” a spokesman told AD.nl.
Last year Spain’s consumer rights ministry fined five budget airlines, including Ryanair and easyJet, for “abusive practices”, including charging for carry-on luggage or reserving seats for children. The airlines have appealed against the ruling.
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