Airlines within the European Union should not be allowed to charge extra for passengers' hand luggage, MEPs have decided. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

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MEPs push for ban on European airline hand-luggage charges

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Airlines operating within the European Union should not be allowed to charge extra for passengers’ hand luggage, MEPs have said.

Parliamentarians accepted a draft proposal on a show of hands calling for such extra charges to be banned.

According to the document, MEPs criticised the “inconsistent rules” of European airlines regarding cabin luggage, which it is claimed cause “inconvenience and discomfort” for passengers.

“Different airline rules on hand luggage create hidden fees and make it more difficult to compare prices,” reads a Parliament press release regarding the vote.

The ballot also confirmed the Parliament’s intention to see a European Court of Justice ruling effectively banning extra charges for hand luggage.

According to the ruling, airlines in Europe should not be able to charge extra for cabin bags “on condition that such hand baggage meets reasonable requirements in terms of its weight and dimensions, and complies with applicable security requirements”.

According to a report by Euronews, such a ruling never came into force.