easyJet has been instructed to refrain from advertising that carry-on baggage fees start at £5.99 as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) determined that this pricing information was deceptive to passengers. The ASA stated that there was not enough evidence to support the claim that this price was applicable across various flight routes and dates, prompting easyJet to discontinue using the phrase.
Additionally, easyJet must ensure that the lowest price for large cabin bags labeled as “from” is indeed the lowest across a significant portion of flights going forward. Despite easyJet’s argument that the advertised price was accurate and accessible on multiple routes, they acknowledged that prices could fluctuate based on factors like availability, demand, and operational expenses.
The ASA’s decision came after a study by consumer group Which? revealed that the cost of adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99 on all 520 easyJet flights examined. The investigation found that the lowest price recorded was £23.49, with an average of £30.
Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel magazine, criticized airlines for using low headline fares and then imposing high additional charges for standard cabin bags. Boland emphasized the importance of customers considering airlines without cabin bag add-ons to potentially save money when booking trips.
In response, easyJet stated that they strive to provide transparent pricing information to customers, clarifying that they always offer some large cabin bags at the lowest price. Following the ASA’s feedback, easyJet made adjustments to their pricing information to enhance clarity for consumers.