You're reading: Ukraine’s antimonopoly committee investigates UIA, Wizz Air, Ryanair

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine is investigating Ukraine International Airlines or UIA, Wizz Air, Ryanair and a few other air carriers regarding possible competition law violations after new hand luggage rules were launched by all three airlines, Interfax reported on March 28.

“All companies with similar luggage transportation conditions will be checked for compliance with competition law and whether they have violated consumer rights,” Oleksiy Khmelnytskyi, the head of the Kyiv Regional Department of the committee, told the Kyiv Post.

UIA’s strict baggage rules entered into force on Jan. 15 for all flights. Only one piece of hand baggage is allowed, and it cannot weigh more than seven kilograms and exceed 55 centimeters in height, 40 centimeters in width and 20 cm in depth. In addition, a passenger can bring into the cabin only an overcoat and umbrella.

UIA said the measure was needed because the overhead baggage compartments on its planes were being overloaded.

The introduction of UIA’s new hand luggage conditions didn’t affect the ticket prices or quality of services, says Khmelnytskyi.

When searching for tickets on the airline’s website, the first price that appears is the cheapest one. Once the destination is selected, the entire list of charges opens up.

This means that the client ends up buying a ticket not for the lowest price, but at a much higher rate if the passenger wants to bring more luggage, he said.

“A lot of people were outraged by the new rules as well as how rudely (the airlines) communicated with passengers,” said Ukrainian Member of Parliament Victoria Ptashnyk, who initially filed a complaint against UIA with the antimonopoly committee on March 11.

Additional personal belongings such as duty free packages, laptops, or books must be packed in hand luggage. Clients incur a 15-euro fine for each extra item if they violate the rules.

“When I flew with UIA, I saw a person with a backpack and a small handbag that did not fit into the backpack, and they (UIA staff) made the person pay for the handbag,” said Khmelnytskyi. “The situation is not normal at all.”

The antimonopoly committee’s investigation could last from six months to a year, according to Khmelnytskyi. If the committee discovers that UIA has violated the rules, the fine will amount up to five percent of the company’s revenue stated in its 2018 report, which was negative $100 million.

And UIA isn’t the only airline that has changed its baggage requirements. Low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air have made similar changes, which came into effect on Nov. 1, 2018.

However, they were already fined in February for such measures in Italy by that country’s antimonopoly committee: Ryanair had to pay three million euros while Wizz Air paid one million euros.

Italy’s antimonopoly committee proved that passengers have the right to take on board hand luggage that is of reasonable size without additional fees, as this is part of the standard practice of air carriers.

So far, the antimonopoly committee has not fined any airline in Ukraine for such practices.

“We live in Ukraine, not in Italy. They were fined there. If we prove that they have violated our legislation in Ukraine, then we can do it,” said Khmelnytskyi.

As for UIA, there is no reason to change the baggage rules since it is not even a low-cost airline but rather a national carrier, according to Ptashnyk and the AMCU.

“It is considered to be the largest airline for passenger transportation in Ukraine. Most destinations from Ukraine are covered by UIA flights,” said Ptashnyk.

At the same time, UIA is confident that the investigation will end in its favor.

“Since the baggage policy of the airline is implemented in full compliance with the current legislation, there are no violations (of competition laws) in the new hand luggage rules,” UIA’s press service told the Kyiv Post in a written statement.

According to UIA, complaints come mostly from passengers who are attempting to carry as many personal items as possible as hand luggage.