EasyJet faced a ban on advertising carry-on baggage fees starting at £5.99 as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed the price misleading for passengers. The ASA found insufficient evidence that this price was available across various flight routes and dates, prompting the order for easyJet to discontinue using the phrase.
In addition to ceasing the use of the misleading price, easyJet must ensure that the “from” price for large cabin bags represents the lowest price available 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 vary based on factors like availability, demand, and operational costs. However, easyJet assured that the actual price for a specific booking would be clearly presented before purchase.
The ASA’s decision followed an investigation by the consumer group Which?, which discovered that the price for adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 easyJet flights analyzed. The lowest price observed was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed astonishment at airlines’ practices of misleading customers with unattainable prices, supporting the ASA’s ruling against easyJet. Boland highlighted the trend of airlines advertising low headline fares and then charging considerably higher prices for standard cabin bags. He recommended that customers consider choosing airlines without cabin bag add-ons to potentially save on costs.
Responding to the ruling, easyJet stated its commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers and acknowledged adjustments made in response to the ASA’s feedback to ensure clarity for consumers.
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