EasyJet has condemned European Parliament proposals to mandate free additional cabin baggage on flights, with chief executive Kenton Jarvis labelling the plans a 'lunatic idea' that would lead to higher fares and flight delays. The proposals, which passed overwhelmingly in the European Parliament, would give passengers the right to bring a small case weighing up to 7kg in addition to a personal item such as a handbag or laptop.
Jarvis argued that the legislation, if ratified by the European Council, would be 'terrible for the consumer' and 'crazy European legislation'. He warned that there is insufficient cabin space, forcing airlines to offload bags into the hold, a practice that historically caused significant boarding delays. 'There just isn't the space in the cabin, so that's another lunatic idea,' he said.
The easyJet boss also highlighted the financial impact, noting that baggage charges contribute substantially to the airline's ancillary revenue, which exceeded £2.5bn annually. He claimed that if the rules come into effect, the lost revenue would be passed on to all passengers through fare increases. 'I just can't explain how stupid it would be,' Jarvis added.
The proposals would apply to all passengers travelling to or from an EU airport on an EU-based airline, affecting most short-haul flights from the UK. Jarvis said any new rules would likely be applied consistently across easyJet's entire fleet, regardless of jurisdiction.
Separately, easyJet reported a pre-tax loss of £93m for the last quarter, a 50% increase from the same period last year, despite a 7% rise in passenger numbers. Jarvis attributed the losses partly to investment in new bases at Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino airports. He noted that January bookings for the year ahead were at record levels, with passengers travelling to destinations including Morocco, Tunisia, Cape Verde and Georgia.
