EU sinks low-cost flights with its new cabin bag rule

The EU undermines the main selling point of low-cost flights

The EU's new passenger rights regulation, agreed on 21 June 2026, obliges airlines to display the ticket price with hand luggage included from the very first click. Until now, Ryanair and similar carriers advertised hook fares of 20 euros that soared to 170 once extras were added. The measure, presented as a victory for transparency, blows up the low-cost business model: jet fuel has risen by more than 100% since the Iran war, and the margin for misleading customers is shrinking.

Supporters of the rule argue that consumers have the right to compare real prices. Critics reply that base fares will rise artificially and that airlines will resort to discounts for not bringing a bag to get around the rule. The heart of the debate points to a more ambitious strategy: destroying demand for cheap flights to adjust consumption to the new fuel prices and climate targets.

According to a frequently cited estimate, 90% of the population will be priced out of air travel as we knew it. Flying will become a luxury again, and the AVE high-estimulante ilegal train, with average speeds that fail to reach 120 km/h, will not fill the gap. The regulation is already in force, but airlines are already looking for loopholes. What remains to be seen is whether the average traveller will accept paying double or simply choose not to travel.