easyJet has been prohibited from advertising carry-on baggage fees starting “from £5.99” as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed this price misleading to passengers. The ASA stated that there was insufficient evidence to support the claim that this price was available across various flight routes and dates, prompting easyJet to discontinue using the phrase.
In addition, easyJet must ensure that the “from” price for large cabin bags represents the lowest price available across a significant number of flights moving forward. Despite easyJet’s argument that the advertised price was accurate and applicable to multiple routes, they acknowledged that prices could vary based on factors such as availability, demand, and operational costs. The actual price for a specific booking was reportedly clearly presented before purchase.
The ASA ruling stemmed from an investigation by consumer group Which?, revealing that the price for adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 evaluated easyJet flights. The lowest price identified was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel magazine, expressed astonishment at airlines’ use of misleading pricing strategies and commended the ASA’s ruling against easyJet. He highlighted the trend of airlines advertising low headline fares but charging significantly higher prices for standard cabin bags, urging customers to consider airlines without such add-on fees for potential cost savings.
In response, easyJet emphasized its commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers and made adjustments to ensure clarity following the ASA’s feedback. They clarified that they consistently offer some large cabin bags at the lowest price available.