The EU could force airlines to standardise hand luggage sizes on planes as part of a review into passenger rights. The meddling European Commission has proposed changes to current legislation to the European Parliament in Brussels – which could see passengers having their hand luggage allowance reduced on certain airlines as the rules will likely become the same for all operators.
The standardisation of hand luggage was raised during the review, with airlines asked to come to an agreement among themselves. Among the other issues in the proposal is no longer requiring flyers to pay trip costs upfront, instead suggesting customers pay 25 percent up to 28 days before departure.
This will not include some specific causes such as tour operators having to pay for the tickets well in advance.
The proposal from Brussels also aims to speed up the return of payments in the event of cancellation. It does not currently include exact details around the standardisation of the conditions for hand luggage.
However, Transport Commissioner Adina Valean confirmed that she will be asking the airline industry to come to an agreement on sizes. “You have to start developing these standards,” she said, explaining that currently there are different rules depending on the airline.
Ms Valean will give the companies a couple of months to negotiate the issue among themselves and if they do not, the EU will make a proposal. The new rules now have to go through the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, where the governments of the 27 member states are represented, before being definitively adopted.
