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Spain Fines Sixth Airline Over “Abusive” Charges for Carry-On Luggage and Seat Selection

Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry has slapped sanctions on a sixth low-cost airline for what it calls “abusive practices,” including charging passengers extra for carry-on luggage and forcing families or people with disabilities to pay more to sit together.

The ministry’s statement did not name the airline — a departure from its high-profile move last November, when it publicly fined five major carriers: Ryanair, Vueling, EasyJet, Norwegian, and Volotea. Those penalties added up to a staggering €179 million, with Ryanair bearing the brunt at over €107 million.

This latest sanction follows similar patterns. According to the ministry, the unnamed airline also failed to clearly present its pricing, both on its official website and on third-party booking platforms — a practice the government calls misleading and deceptive.

Spain’s General Consumer Directorate, which oversees the enforcement, confirmed that such violations can carry steep fines. Depending on severity, penalties range from €10,001 to €100,000 for serious infractions and from €100,001 to €1 million for very serious ones.

The crackdown is rooted in a 2014 European Court of Justice ruling that prohibits airlines from charging passengers separately for their cabin baggage — a common tactic among budget airlines looking to boost profits on low ticket prices.

As travelers face increasingly fragmented fees for basic services, the Spanish government is drawing a line. With six carriers now penalized, it appears regulators are determined to challenge a business model that many see as increasingly unfriendly to consumers.

The name of the sixth sanctioned airline is expected to be released once the administrative process concludes.

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