The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has taken decisive action against easyJet, prohibiting the airline from using specific marketing claims about cabin baggage fees that were found to be misleading to consumers.
Regulator's Ruling on Pricing Claims
EasyJet has been formally reprimanded by the UK's advertising watchdog following an investigation into its promotional claims that adding large cabin bags to flight bookings cost "from £5.99". The ASA determined there was "insufficient evidence" to support that this price point was genuinely available "across a range of flight routes and dates" as suggested in the airline's marketing materials.
Immediate Marketing Ban Implemented
As a direct result of these findings, the ASA has issued a ban preventing easyJet from using this specific pricing phrase in any future marketing communications. The regulator has stipulated that any future "from" prices advertised for large cabin bags must accurately reflect a lowest price that is accessible "across a significant proportion of flights" rather than being potentially misleading to customers.
Large cabin bags, designed specifically for overhead lockers, typically incur additional charges with most low-cost airlines. EasyJet maintained to the regulator that its advertised price was accurate and available on various routes, while acknowledging that prices naturally vary due to factors including availability, demand, and operational costs.
Consumer Investigation Reveals True Costs
The ASA's ruling follows a comprehensive investigation conducted by consumer advocacy group Which? that examined 520 easyJet flights. Their analysis revealed that the price for adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on every single flight reviewed, with the lowest actual price discovered being £23.49 and an average cost of approximately £30.
Industry Criticism and Consumer Advice
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel magazine, expressed strong criticism of airline pricing practices, stating: "It's frankly astonishing that airlines think they can ignore the rules and mislead customers with unattainable prices, so it's absolutely right that the ASA has made this ruling against easyJet as a result of our complaint."
Boland further elaborated on the investigation's findings: "Our recent investigation found that there is a culture of airlines using low headline fares – then charging exorbitant prices on top to take a standard cabin bag. The easyJet cabin bag prices we collected were typically five times as much as the 'from £5.99' it claimed."
The consumer expert offered practical advice to travellers: "When booking a trip, customers should consider choosing an airline without cabin bag add-ons as it may work out cheaper overall."
Airline Response and Policy Changes
In response to the ASA's ruling, easyJet issued a formal statement explaining: "We always aim to provide clear information to our customers on pricing, and the purpose of this page was to display factual information on fees and charges to customers. We always have some large cabin bags available for the lowest price."
The airline confirmed it has already implemented changes following the regulator's feedback: "In light of the ASA's feedback we have made some changes to the page to ensure the information is as clear as possible for consumers."
EasyJet emphasised that the actual price for cabin bags on any particular booking is clearly displayed to customers before purchase to ensure transparency in the booking process.
