Budget airline easyJet has been reprimanded by the advertising watchdog for falsely advertising carry-on baggage fees starting “from £5.99.” The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed the price misleading as it lacked evidence of availability across various flight routes and dates, instructing easyJet to cease using the misleading phrase.

The ASA ruling stemmed from an investigation by consumer group Which?, which found that on all 520 easyJet flights analyzed, the price for adding a large cabin bag exceeded £5.99. The lowest price discovered was £23.49, with an average of £30.

Despite easyJet’s argument that their advertised price was accurate and applicable to multiple routes, they acknowledged that prices could fluctuate based on factors like demand and operational costs. The airline asserted that the actual price for a specific booking was transparently displayed before purchase.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, criticized airlines for using low headline fares to attract customers, only to impose inflated prices for standard cabin bags. He emphasized the importance for customers to consider airlines without cabin bag add-ons to potentially save on costs.

In response, easyJet stated that they strive to provide clear pricing information to customers and have adjusted their practices following the ASA ruling to ensure transparency for consumers.