Wizz Air warns new law will increase prices and create 'absolute zoo' at airport

The new boss of Wizz Air UK has admitted that the airline will have to hike luggage fees if new European Union rules go ahead.

Yvonne Moynihan, who took the reins of the Hungarian airline's UK wing this month—succeeding Marion Geoffroy as managing director of Wizz Air UK—spoke to the Mirror about how the airline would react to new hand luggage legislation.

While not yet law, the legislative change means that airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air—which currently charge significant sums for a second bag—will likely be unable to demand big fees for an additional cabin bag in the future.

Perhaps most importantly for those who fly on budget airlines, the EU's Transport and Tourism Committee decided that: "Passengers should have a right to carry on board one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop (maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm), and one small hand luggage (maximum dimensions of 100 cm and 7 kg) without an additional fee."

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That means airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air, which currently charge significant sums for a second bag, wouldn't be able to demand big fees for an additional bag.

Even though the UK is no longer a member of the European Union, the rules would still impact British passengers as they cover EU-based airlines.

Many airline bosses have opposed the move, arguing that they will be forced to increase the cost of tickets or other baggage to make up the shortfall.

"We highly object, along with the other airlines. It essentially erodes consumer choice," Ms Moynihan said of the ruling. The new budget airline boss echoed the words of Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines For Europe, likening the new regime to "going to the cinema and being forced to have Coke and popcorn with your ticket."

Ms Moynihan predicted that a watered-down version of the EU legislation would eventually become law. When it does, Wizz Air and other airlines like it are likely to bump up the fees they can charge for luggage to cover the shortfall.

Right now, Wizz Air makes just shy of 50% of its income from ancillary aspects of the journey, such as charging for seat reservations and bags.

"I always look at Wizz Air flights to see who is wearing backpacks, and I see that people are travelling light. Passengers are happy to travel light. If you're going to force a passenger now, we're going to change the price," Ms Moynihan said.

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She also warned that many of the airline's planes simply would not fit the extra bags that the law change would allow for. "We have 239 passengers onboard. We can't fit 239 pieces of luggage. The problem is at the gate; you're going to have to take luggage from them," she said.

Ms Moynihan warned that a lack of capacity on the airline's fleet would mean passengers would be told at the boarding gate that there was no room onboard for their bags.

Andras Rado, Wizz Air's head of communications, likened such a scenario to a previous chapter in the history of budget airlines when there were no seat reservations. He suggested the equivalent chaos of passengers having two carry-on bags would be like an "absolute zoo."

When asked how much more Wizz would have to charge for luggage, Ms Moynihan said that was a "work in progress" and that the airline is part of a "big lobby" effort to have the legislation watered down.