EasyJet Faces Advertising Ban Over 'Misleading' Cabin Bag Pricing Claims
The Advertising Standards Authority has issued a significant ruling against EasyJet, prohibiting the airline from using specific wording in its baggage charge advertising following a formal challenge from consumer watchdog Which?.
The Pricing Controversy
The dispute centred on a section of EasyJet's website titled "Fees and charges" that was observed in September 2025. Under the subheading "Bags," the airline had been advertising "Large cabin bag[s] from £5.99," a claim that immediately raised concerns with consumer protection experts.
Which? decided to formally oppose this pricing presentation, questioning whether the "from £5.99" claim could be substantiated and whether it might mislead consumers about the actual costs they would face when booking flights with cabin baggage.
The Regulatory Investigation
The Advertising Standards Authority investigated the complaint and determined that consumers would reasonably interpret the "from £5.99" claim to mean that large cabin bags would be available at that price across a significant proportion of flight routes and dates. However, the regulator found that EasyJet could not provide evidence to support this interpretation.
The ASA stated clearly: "We told easyJet Airline Co Ltd to ensure when using 'from' price claims in the future that large cabin bags were available at the advertised price across a significant proportion of flights."
The authority concluded that the claim was misleading and ordered that the "marketing communication must not appear again in the form complained of."
EasyJet's Response and Position
EasyJet defended its original wording, telling the BBC: "We always aim to provide clear information to our customers on pricing and the purpose of this page was to display factual information on fees and charges to customers."
The airline maintained that £5.99 represented a genuine starting point for adding carry-on bags and was an accurate price for several routes. EasyJet argued that the wording was not misleading and emphasised that no bags were available for less than that advertised price.
However, following the ASA's intervention, the airline has made changes to its website presentation. The updated text now states: "Fees vary with demand, route, flight date and time of booking. You'll see exact price at time of purchase."
EasyJet explained that it was "not able to provide specific figures" because cabin bag prices depend on numerous factors including availability and demand, and that customers would see actual pricing during the flight booking process.
Industry Context and Consumer Impact
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, commented on the broader industry context, noting there is a "culture" of airlines using "low headline fares, then charging exorbitant prices on top to take a standard cabin bag."
He stated: "It's frankly astonishing that airlines think they can ignore the rules and mislead customers with unattainable prices, so it's absolutely right that the ASA has made this ruling."
Boland offered practical advice to consumers: "When booking a trip, customers should consider choosing an airline without cabin bag add-ons as it may work out cheaper."
This ruling represents a significant development in consumer protection within the aviation sector, highlighting ongoing tensions between airline pricing strategies and regulatory standards for transparent advertising.
