EasyJet has been instructed to cease advertising carry-on baggage fees starting at £5.99 as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed the price misleading to passengers. The ASA stated that there was not enough proof to support the claim that the £5.99 price was applicable across various flight routes and dates.
In addition to this ruling, easyJet must ensure that the lowest price for larger cabin bags is available across a significant portion of its flights in the future. The airline defended its advertised price, stating that while it was accurate and accessible on multiple routes, prices could fluctuate based on factors like demand and operational expenses.
Following an investigation by consumer group Which?, it was revealed that the cost of adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 easyJet flights examined. The lowest price discovered was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed disbelief at airlines disregarding regulations and deceiving customers with unattainable prices. He commended the ASA for its ruling against easyJet, emphasizing the prevalent practice of airlines advertising low fares and then charging significantly higher prices for standard cabin bags.
EasyJet responded by stating their commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers and making necessary changes to ensure clarity following the ASA’s feedback.