Budget Travel - LCCs and Baggage Fees - Court Ruling in Germany

You will all have seen the newspaper adverts placed by Ryanair and other LCCs... "Travel to X from only 1 Cent" (or 1 Euro, or 5 Euro, or whatever)

An appeal court in Germany has upheld that the fares quoted in such adverts must include any baggage fees, dismissing an appeal from Ryanair against an earlier ruling.

Ryanair argued that baggage fees are an "extra". The court maintained that it is customary in the airline industry NOT to charge for checked baggage up to 20 kg, and that if any airline chooses to depart from standard practice then this must be made clear in their advertising.

Article (in German) here:

http://www.firmenpresse.de/pressinfo71539.html

Now if only we can get that EU wide. I normally don't mind fees but I really LOATHE the way that Ryanair nickles and dimes you for every last penny. I used to not mind Ryanair but have purposefully avoided them the last couple of years.

Easyjet quote their prices including one piece of checked luggage but this can be removed.

However I can't understand the logic in the court ruling as many airlines these days charge for any checked luggage and many people who fly with LCCs only have hand luggage.

Frankly this seems to be an "opportunity" for Ryanair to screw the public more by either making it compulsory to have checked luggage or to show a prcie including checked luggage but then ensure that it isn't obvious on how to remove it.

Either way it sounds a bad ruling which certainly wouldn't stand up at national or EU level