easyJet’s advertisement claiming that carry-on baggage fees start “from £5.99” has been prohibited by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for being deceptive to passengers. The ASA determined that there was not enough proof that this price was accessible “across a range of flight routes and dates,” prompting the directive to discontinue using the phrase.
In addition, easyJet must ensure that the “from” price for large cabin bags represents the lowest price “across a significant proportion of flights” going forward. Despite easyJet’s defense that the advertised price was accurate and applicable to various routes, they acknowledged that prices could fluctuate based on factors like availability, demand, and operational expenses. The actual price for a specific booking was clarified before purchase.
The ASA’s decision followed an inquiry by consumer group Which?, which revealed that the cost of adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 easyJet flights examined. The lowest price discovered was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed astonishment at airlines disregarding regulations and misleading customers with unattainable prices. He praised the ASA’s ruling against easyJet, emphasizing that airlines often use low headline fares and then impose high prices for standard cabin bags. Boland advised customers to consider airlines without cabin bag add-ons for potentially lower costs.
In response, easyJet stated their commitment to providing transparent pricing information to customers. They clarified that they always offer some large cabin bags at the lowest price and have made adjustments to ensure clarity following the ASA’s feedback.
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