Ryanair Joins Easyjet, Vueling, And Wizz Air To Get Criticized For Unfair Fee Policies And Unreliable Services During High Travel Seasons: What You Need To Know

Published on November 5, 2025

The expanding fame of low-cost airlines for illustration Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling, and Wizz Air has led to important user criticism, particularly during nan high-travel season. These carriers person faced accusations of unfair interest policies specified arsenic charging for carry-on baggage and seating children adjacent to parents, which are prohibited by European laws. In 2024, Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs imposed fines totaling €179 million connected 5 airlines, including €107.8 cardinal for Ryanair and €39.3 cardinal for Vueling, for abusive practices. The European Court of Justice had antecedently ruled that charging for compartment baggage was illegal, yet airlines continued these practices, prompting further penalties. In Italy, nan AGCM fined Ryanair for misleading advertizing astir its €55 airdrome check-in surcharge, ordering a €1.5 million refund to customers. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reported a precocious number of complaints nether Regulation 261, pinch Wizz Air and Ryanair being among nan worst offenders successful position of title measurement and uphold rates. Wizz Air had nan highest number of complaints per passenger, pinch astir 47% of complaints upheld, indicating a important information of user grievances were legitimate. Meanwhile, Vueling had less complaints but a precocious uphold complaint of 69%, suggesting it must reside systemic operational issues. Despite immoderate improvements successful punctuality, arsenic shown successful Eurocontrol’s 2024 data, these airlines proceed to look scrutiny and regulatory action, highlighting nan request for improved service reliability and fairer interest structures to reconstruct user trust.

Regulatory action against unfair fees

Spain: fines for charging for carry‑on baggage and adjacent seats

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs (Dirección General de Consumo y Arbitraje) conducted aggregate investigations into low‑cost carriers during 2024. On 22 November 2024 it imposed fines totalling €179 million connected 5 airlines for “abusive practices” specified arsenic charging for carry‑on baggage, charging to spot passengers adjacent to limited children, and failing to make prices transparent. The fines by hose were astir €107.8 million for Ryanair, €39.3 million for Vueling, €29.1 million for easyJet, and around €2.8 million mixed for Norwegian and Volotea[1]. The ministry pointed to a 2014 Court of Justice of nan European Union ruling (Case C‑487/12) that defined compartment baggage arsenic an “indispensable constituent of aerial transport”, meaning airlines cannot legally complaint other for it[2].

In July 2025 nan Ministry announced it was opening a sixth sanctioning case against different low‑cost hose for continuing to use these prohibited fees. The ministry emphasised that Spain was nan first EU state to punishment airlines for charging for compartment baggage and that nan earlier fines had not deterred carriers from continuing nan practice[2].

Italy: airdrome check‑in surcharges

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) targeted Ryanair for misleading accusation astir its €55 airdrome check‑in surcharge. In November 2024 nan AGCM concluded that Ryanair grounded to intelligibly pass customers of nan online check‑in deadline and misrepresented nan surcharge successful advertisements. To resoluteness nan case, Ryanair committed to refund each user who was charged nan €55 interest (estimated refunds of astir €1.5 million) and to modify its booking process to supply transparent accusation astir check‑in deadlines and surcharges[3].

Regional enforcement: Catalonia

In January 2025 nan Generalitat de Catalunya’s user agency (Agència Catalana del Consum – ACC) fined 7 airlines astir €500,000 pursuing much than 1,500 complaints from passengers. Vueling and Ryanair accounted for 65 % of these complaints, and nan ACC noted that astir grievances related to delays, cancellations and charges for manus luggage[4]. The fines item continued location unit connected carriers to destruct unfair charges.

Passenger complaints and work reliability (UK FY 2024–25)

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) publishes quarterly information connected rider complaints nether EU Regulation 261/2004 (compensation for delays and cancellations), Regulation 1107 (assistance for abnormal passengers), and different categories. The array beneath summarises complaints processed by nan CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaints Team for nan 4 airlines during FY 2024–25 (Q2 2024 done Q1 2025) on pinch complaints per cardinal passengers, uphold complaint (percentage of cases wherever compensation was granted) and full remedy awarded[5][6][7][8].

The CAA information item 3 important points:

1. High title measurement and per‑passenger rates – Wizz Air had nan highest number of complaints per cardinal passengers (918) and astir 10 000 Reg 261 complaints, while Ryanair received nan 2nd highest number of complaints nether Reg 261 (8 933)[7][6].
2. Uphold rates vary – The CAA upheld 47 % of Wizz Air complaints and 28 % of Ryanair complaints, indicating that a important stock of grievances were legitimate. Vueling’s 69 % uphold complaint reflects that astir of its fewer complaints were justified[7][8].
3. Financial remedies – In total, Ryanair was ordered to salary complete £1.8 million successful compensation, Wizz Air £1.48 million and easyJet £0.47 million[6][7][5].

Below are 2 charts illustrating nan title figures:

Figure 1. Number of complaints nether EU Regulation 261/2004 for FY 2024–25 (source: UK Civil Aviation Authority)

Figure 2. Complaints per cardinal passengers for FY 2024–25 (source: UK Civil Aviation Authority)

Flight delays and high‑travel‑season performance

The European aerial postulation head Eurocontrol publishes yearly hold statistics. Its 2024 Annual Digest (released successful July 2025) reveals that while nan mean hold per formation successful Europe fell somewhat to 17.5 minutes, nan summertime highest (particularly July 2024) saw grounds Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) delays because of precocious demand. Reactionary (knock‑on) delays accounted for 46 % of full hold minutes, while airline‑related issues specified arsenic ground‑handling and boarding delays contributed 4.3 minutes per flight[9]. Arrival punctuality improved to 72.4 % of flights landing wrong 15 minutes of their scheduled presence time, up from 70.6 % successful 2023[9]. This discourse shows that though web delays person improved overall, nan summertime highest still pressures airlines and underscores nan value of robust scheduling and contingency planning.

Discussion

The government‑verified information overgarment a accordant picture: low‑cost carriers person been criticised for some unfair interest policies and service reliability during highest recreation seasons. Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry penalised Ryanair, Vueling and easyJet for charging passengers for compartment baggage and spot assignments—practices explicitly prohibited nether European lawsuit law[2]. Italy’s title authority forced Ryanair to refund airdrome check‑in surcharges and modify its booking system[3]. At nan location level, Catalonia fined airlines aft a surge of complaints astir delays, cancellations and baggage fees[4].

Passenger‑complaint information uncover that Wizz Air and Ryanair make nan highest volumes of grievances successful nan UK, peculiarly during nan engaged recreation months. The precocious percent of upheld complaints—47 % for Wizz Air and 28 % for Ryanair—demonstrates that galore cases are morganatic and require compensation[7][6]. While easyJet receives less complaints, it still faces regulatory scrutiny for baggage fees[1]. Vueling’s precocious uphold complaint suggests nan hose must reside systemic issues moreover if its operations successful nan UK are smaller[8].

The Eurocontrol information show that wide web delays person improved, but nan busiest summertime months still acquisition important disruption. Since reactionary and airline‑related delays represent a ample information of full hold minutes[9], airlines request to guarantee capable staffing, instrumentality and contingency readying during high‑travel seasons. The surge of complaints astir delays and cancellations successful Catalonia and nan precocious measurement of Reg 261 complaints successful nan UK exemplify really web accent translates into rider grievances[4][6].

Conclusion

In 2024 and 2025, low‑cost carriers specified arsenic Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling and Wizz Air faced beardown disapproval from regulators and consumers. Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry and nan Italian title authority fined nan airlines for unfair fees and compelled refunds, highlighting that charging for carry‑on baggage and seating children pinch parents violates European law[2][3]. The UK CAA’s title information show that thousands of passengers sought compensation for delays and cancellations, pinch Wizz Air and Ryanair having nan highest number of complaints per passenger[7][6]. Despite improvements successful mean hold times, Eurocontrol’s study indicates that peak‑season congestion continues to origin important disruption[9]. Together, these findings show that unfair interest policies and unreliable services person attracted regulatory sanctions and user dissatisfaction. Addressing these issues—by eliminating prohibited surcharges and improving operational reliability—will beryllium basal if low‑cost airlines want to reconstruct spot and comply pinch European user rights.