The EU is not introducing fees for carry-on luggage to reduce CO2. We are checking the new regulations.

At the beginning of June 2025, numerous controversies appeared online regarding the new baggage policy of the European Union. The changes are supposed to concern, among other things, the dimensions and quantity of small carry-on luggage that can be brought on board an aircraft free of charge. What does this mean in practice for travelers? We check. 

“🚨 The European Commission has approved regulations allowing airlines to charge for carry-on baggage, aiming to reduce the number of flights and CO2 emissions 🥳” – reads the post published on the X platform at the beginning of June 2025. The author attached a link to an article published by Euronews, which supposedly confirms his theses. Social media users quickly reacted to this message, expressing concerns about rising travel costs and restrictions on freedom of movement.

This topic was widely discussed by numerous Polish and foreign media, including Interia, Business Insider, Radio Zet and BBC. 

In short

• There is no official confirmation that the new regulations regarding fees for carry-on baggage have been introduced to reduce CO2 emissions. Their main goal is to unify the law, not climate policy.
• The new regulations are to introduce the possibility of free carrying of a “personal item,” which can be placed under the seat in the aircraft. Airlines will still be able to charge for additional carry-on baggage.
• The decisions of the EU Council (not the EC) are not final yet – they require approval by the European Parliament, which may introduce amendments and changes. 

What are these regulations about? 

Initially, it should be noted that the author of the post incorrectly attributes the approval of the European Commission’s regulations. In fact, it concerns the position of the EU Council, which does not yet have binding force. 

On June 5, 2025 the EU transport ministers (not the European Commission) proposed standardization of the dimensions of a free personal item, which can be carried under the seat in all airlines operating within the EU. This is one of several proposed changes concerning air travel and passenger rights. It should be noted that only if the ministers’ position is approved by the European Parliament can the new regulations become EU law.

As part of the work on revising regulations concerning airline passenger rights, the Council of the European Union, composed of transport ministers of member states (TTE Council), proposed a series of changes aimed at increasing transparency and standardizing rules on aircraft.

Passengers often lack clarity about the rules for carrying carry-on luggage – regarding its dimensions, weight, and number of pieces. Therefore, the new EU regulations oblige airlines to clearly inform about baggage limits already at the booking stage and at the airport (point 28).

Passengers have the right to carry free personal items necessary during travel – e.g., documents, medications, electronic devices, or food – provided they meet safety requirements and fit within reasonable weight and size limits (point 28).

Although airlines can set their own baggage policies, they should ensure the possibility of bringing one piece of baggage into the cabin. The EU is considering introducing uniform minimum standards in this regard (point 28a).

The proposal from the EU Council includes a definition of “personal item” as a small, unregistered piece of baggage, an essential element of travel, which meets safety requirements and fits under the seat (maximum dimensions: 40×30×15 cm). Such an item would be allowed free of charge, regardless of the specific carrier’s policies. The document published by the Council introduces a distinction between “personal item” and “carry-on baggage” (p. 46). 

Controversies

Until now, European law used only the general concept of “baggage,” which left carriers broad room for interpretation. Introducing a distinction between types of baggage would grant passengers the right to carry a personal item free of charge, which can be placed under the seat in the aircraft. 

From the content of the proposed regulations, it follows that charging for carry-on baggage, such as a cabin suitcase, will still be possible, which raises objections from consumer organizations. 

“Consumer groups already filed a complaint in May to consumer protection authorities and the European Commission, demanding that airlines cease charging for carry-on baggage” – reads the official statement of the European consumer organization BEUC.

From the study published by BEUC in March 2025, it follows that 86% of people who traveled by plane in the last three years believe that a small cabin suitcase (so-called trolley) and a small personal item should be the absolute minimum included in the ticket price.

Organization director Agustín Reyna emphasizes: 

Such practices are contrary to EU law and jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice, which has ruled that carry-on baggage is an essential element of passenger transport. Meanwhile, the text adopted by the Council allows charging for carry-on baggage of reasonable sizes.

It is worth noting that the regulations proposed by the Council directly refer to the ECJ ruling mentioned in the organization’s statement. Therefore, it seems there are discrepancies in the legal interpretation of this judgment.

We contacted BEUC for a more detailed comment on this matter. The organization’s representative explained that, according to the Court of Justice of the EU ruling from 2014 (case Vueling), carry-on baggage of reasonable size should not be subject to additional charges because it is “an integral part of passenger transport” and does not generate additional costs for airlines. BEUC emphasizes that current practices of many low-cost carriers may violate this ruling, and therefore calls for clear regulations defining what “reasonable” size of carry-on baggage means. We also learned about the specific objections the organization has to the new regulations proposed by the EU Transport Council:

The Council’s position on carry-on baggage raises many concerns:

• In our opinion, it justifies unfair airline practices of charging for carry-on baggage of reasonable sizes, because the text does not explicitly state that such baggage should be allowed free of charge;
• The allowed “personal item” size is absurdly small, which could further deepen the problem of excessive fees for passengers in the future.

The goal is not CO2 emission reduction

Neither the article attached by the author of the analyzed post nor the official EU institution websites contain evidence confirming the claim that airlines will charge for carry-on baggage to reduce the number of flights and CO2 emissions. The statement by the EU Council spokesman, with whom we contacted, also denied this.

In the EU Council press release, it was emphasized that the agreement on the new regulations is a response to “an urgent appeal from airline passengers and carriers themselves for modern, clearer, and more transparent regulations”. 

Summary

In summary, the EU Council’s position foresees the right to free transport of the so-called “personal item” (personal item), which was not previously included in EU regulations. Controversy is raised, among others, by the lack of regulation in the Council’s proposal regarding fees for larger carry-on baggage (hand baggage).

This aspect – according to consumer organizations – opens the door to further charging, e.g., for cabin suitcases, which they believe contradicts the previous jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the EU. BEUC claims that the adopted stance legitimizes unfavorable airline practices.

The assessment of the claim that “the European Commission approved regulations allowing airlines to charge for carry-on baggage, aiming to reduce the number of flights and CO2 emissions” can be divided into two parts:

• “The European Commission approved regulations allowing airlines to charge for carry-on baggage” – this claim is false. In the position of the TTE Council (not the EC), it is foreseen that the so-called “personal item” (personal item) should be free. This means that larger carry-on baggage can still be subject to a fee if the carrier adopts such a policy, and this aspect is among the reasons for controversy among consumer organizations. However, these are not yet binding regulations, only proposals that have not yet been approved.
• “…aiming to reduce the number of flights and CO2 emissions” – this claim is also false. No official documents indicate that the motivation for such a solution is concern for the climate. On the contrary – the Council’s communications suggest that the goal is to unify rules and increase transparency for passengers.

It should also be noted that the Council’s decisions are not yet final – they require approval by the European Parliament, which may introduce amendments and changes. Only after preparing the final version of the proposal by the EP will the document be presented to member states, which, together with the EP and the European Commission, will negotiate its final shape.