easyJet has been instructed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to refrain from advertising carry-on baggage fees starting at “£5.99” as the watchdog deemed this pricing information misleading for customers. The ASA determined that there was not enough proof that this price was applicable across various flight routes and dates, leading to the ruling against easyJet.
Moving forward, easyJet must ensure that the “from” price for large cabin bags represents the lowest price available across a significant number of flights. easyJet defended its advertised pricing by stating that while the price was accurate and applicable to multiple routes, it could vary based on factors such as demand and operational expenses. The airline emphasized that the final price for a specific booking was prominently displayed before purchase.
The ASA’s decision came following an investigation by consumer organization Which?, which revealed that the actual cost of adding a large cabin bag was consistently higher than £5.99 across all 520 surveyed easyJet flights. The lowest price discovered was £23.49, with an average price of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed surprise at airlines’ practice of using low initial fares and then charging significantly higher prices for standard cabin bags. Boland commended the ASA for its ruling against easyJet and advised customers to consider airlines that do not levy additional charges for cabin bags to potentially save money.
Responding to the ruling, easyJet stated its commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers. The airline clarified that it consistently offers some large cabin bags at the lowest price possible and has made adjustments to ensure clarity in response to the ASA’s feedback.