EasyJet to stick with one-bag luggage rule

No-frills airline EasyJet is to continue with the “one-piece-of-hand-luggage” rule for passengers even though restrictions are being eased at some UK airports next week.

EasyJet said the one-bag rule would remain in place to avoid confusion among passengers.

The British government announced last week that from next Monday, 19 UK airports will be allowing passengers to take more than one piece of carry-on luggage on flights.

But the one-bag-only rule will stay at a number of airports, including Gatwick, which is one of the UK airports run by BAA.

EasyJet operates from 14 UK airports, only seven of which have had the restrictions lifted.

The airline’s chief executive Andy Harrison said today: “There is massive scope for customer confusion in an environment where UK airports are adopting different policies. The only way to maintain a simple and standard policy is to maintain our one-bag policy.

“Also some of the major BAA airports are using the relaxation of the one-bag rule as a pretext to further increase passenger charges.

“They increased charges when the restriction was introduced and now they want to increase charges again to remove it. We will continue to resist such attempts and call on the Civil Aviation Authority for its full support.”

Airports where the one-bag restriction has been lifted include Heathrow, Stansted, London City, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham and Aberdeen.

Airports where the rule stays in place include Gatwick, Luton, Leeds Bradford and Liverpool.