Wizz Air and easyJet to charge for luggage

Low cost carriers easyJet and Wizz Air are introducing measures to charge for checked baggage like those already practiced by other no-frills airlines like RyanAir.

easyJet will be charging its passengers £2 per item when the luggage is checked-in online and £5 for airport check-in items. Previously, easyJet fliers were allowed one piece of luggage without charge and were asked to pay for additional luggage items, a practice also followed by British Airways.  Even with the new charges, passengers are still restricted to a total of 20kgs of baggage each.

easyJet released a statement said it is encouraging passengers to travel light. “Fewer checked-in bags can help to improve the operational performance of airports and to attribute the appropriate cost to those passengers who require the service of checked-in baggage,” read the statement.

“Fewer bags will also play a part in reducing the environmental impact of aviation and in the long-term could lead to airports needing simpler and cheaper baggage facilities.”

easyJet’s new baggage pricing scheme will go into effect for all bookings traveling after October 1st.

Wizz Air announced a similar policy. Their website claims the luggage pricing policy follows the airline’s philosophy that “passengers not wishing to use certain services should not have to pay for them. This will allow our fares even lower”. Their baggage charges will go into effect for travel after October 27th.

www.wizzair.com