The European Union has voted to adopt a proposal that will allow air passengers to bring a personal item into the airplane cabin and a piece of hand luggage of up to 15 pounds free of charge. Some airlines currently charge an additional fee for hand luggage.
Matteo Ricci, vice-president of the EU Committee on Transport and Tourism, stated that the “vote marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel.”
Under the new rules, travelers taking a flight in the EU will have the right to carry a personal bag, such as a handbag or backpack, and a small carry-on bag on board at no extra cost.
Personal bags can have maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 centimetres (15.7x11.8x5.9 inches), and hand luggage/carry-on items will be allowed maximum dimensions of 100cm (39 inches) and a weight of 7kg (15 lbs). If the law is passed, airlines will not be allowed to charge passengers any additional fees for carrying these items.
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