The Italian Competition Authority (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato - AGCM) has ordered Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) and Wizz Air (W6, Budapest) to suspend their respective hand baggage policies which were due to enter into force on November 1, 2018.
"According to the new policy, passengers will be allowed to carry for free one small personal bag, as long as it fits under the seat in front, whereas an extra charge will be applied to larger cabin bags. This is however a foreseeable burden for consumers and, as such, should be included in the standard price of the ticket," the AGCM explained.
The authority further ordered both carriers to avail to their passengers the option to carry a regular size hand baggage for free, regardless of whether the bag travels in the cabin or is loaded into the bellyhold due to the lack of space in the cabin.
Ryanair already said it would appeal the ruling. The LCC argued that the new baggage policy was a matter of punctuality as the new rules would lead to quicker boarding, while at the same time being transparent to customers.
