EasyJet has been instructed to stop advertising carry-on baggage fees starting “from £5.99” as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found this price to be deceptive to passengers. The ASA determined that there was not enough proof that the stated price was applicable to a wide range of flight routes and dates. Consequently, easyJet must cease using this pricing phrase.
In addition, easyJet must ensure that the lowest price for large cabin bags labeled as “from” is indeed the cheapest available across a significant number of flights going forward. Despite easyJet’s argument that the advertised price was accurate and accessible on various routes, the airline acknowledged that prices could fluctuate based on factors like availability, demand, and operational expenses. However, the actual price for a specific booking was always clearly shown before purchase.
The ASA’s decision followed an investigation by consumer group Which?, which revealed that the cost of adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 easyJet flights analyzed. The lowest price identified was £23.49, with an average price of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed astonishment at airlines’ practices of using misleading pricing strategies and commended the ASA for penalizing easyJet. He highlighted the common occurrence of airlines luring customers with low headline fares only to charge significantly higher prices for standard cabin bags. Boland advised consumers to consider airlines without cabin bag add-ons to potentially save money when booking flights.
Responding to the ruling, easyJet emphasized its commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers. The airline clarified that it always offers some large cabin bags at the lowest price possible and has made adjustments to ensure clearer information presentation following the ASA’s feedback.