Budget airline Ryanair's hand luggage costs "excessive" and can no longer be levied in Spain after a new court ruling.
The fees, usually applied when a passenger carries more than one personal item on board, were branded "abusive" after a passenger was fined for bringing luggage on board.
The unnamed woman, who was travelling from Madrid to Brussels, took her case to court after being forced to pay a €20 (£17) fine for her 10kg bag, reports the Irish Mirror .
The airline was ordered to refund the woman €20 plus interest, but her demand for compensation of a further €10 was rejected, saying that while doubtless "the passenger suffered rage and powerlessness in having to pay the extra unforeseen cost at the time of boarding" the discomfort did not reach a level that would justify compensation.
Read more of today's top stories here
The judge characterised the baggae charge as abusive, adding that it "curtailed the rights that the passenger has recognised by law", and declared it invalid in Spain.
The baggage could easily have fitted in the cabin, according to the judge. The Commercial Court ruled the policy to be null and void and told Ryanair "to remove it" from its terms and conditions.
A spokesperson for the airline said: "This ruling will not affect Ryanair 's baggage policy, either in the past or the future, as it is an isolated case that misinterpreted our commercial freedom to determine the size of our cabin baggage."
Ryanair have declined to comment whether it is planning to ignore the Spanish ruling or appeal it to the European Court of Justice.
The court has said in a ruling that its statement can not be appealed.
