easyJet has been instructed to cease advertising carry-on baggage fees starting at £5.99, as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed this pricing to be deceitful to passengers. The ASA stated that there was insufficient proof that the £5.99 price was accessible across various flight routes and dates, prompting the directive for easyJet to discontinue using the specific phrase.
In addition, easyJet is required to ensure that the “from” price for large cabin bags represents the lowest cost across a significant number of flights going forward. Despite easyJet’s argument that the advertised price was accurate and applicable to multiple routes, the airline acknowledged that prices could fluctuate based on factors like availability, demand, and operational expenses. However, easyJet assured that the actual price for a specific booking would be prominently displayed before finalizing the purchase.
The ASA ruling stemmed from an investigation by consumer group Which?, which revealed that the price for adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 analyzed easyJet flights. The lowest price discovered was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel magazine, expressed astonishment at airlines’ disregard for regulations and their tendency to mislead customers with unattainable prices. Boland commended the ASA’s decision against easyJet, emphasizing the prevalence of airlines using low initial fares and subsequently charging significantly higher prices for standard cabin bags. He advised consumers to consider airlines without cabin bag add-ons for potentially more cost-effective travel arrangements.
In response, easyJet stated that they strive to provide transparent pricing information to customers, clarifying that the purpose of the disputed page was to present factual details on fees and charges. The airline maintained that there are always large cabin bags available at the lowest price and indicated that adjustments had been made to the page following the ASA’s feedback to enhance clarity for consumers.