Moves are afoot in Brussels to bring certain airline practices such as the renowned "one bag carry-on baggage rule" to order. A recent trade campaign by lobby group ETRC, who appear to represent European airports and their concession retailers, has stepped up their action and called all duty free and travel retailers to order and asked them to present their views to Brussels through an online EU questionnaire.
Duty Free News International one of the leading trade publications for the industry published this press release issued by the lobby group and their partners Hume Brophy of Ireland, "European Parliament calls for end of one-bag rule".
Of course, for the flyer wishing to buy goods in the airport this is all good news, but longer term is this the route that will benefit passengers? Catharine MacIntosh from zerobaggage.com thinks not as she has been developing her zero baggage concept for some time now. MacIntosh holds the theory that weight can be reduced on aircraft and that many essential goods, such as toiletries, need not be purchase or carried outbound at all. Many Eco groups seem to agree.
Meanwhile in Brussels, the EU Transport Commission wishes to legislate against many of the alleged "airline unfair practices" whilst seemingly wishing to protect the airports and ensure that the so-called "ancillary revenues" (from which airlines benefit) are more equally distributed. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times explains in detail how airports now see themselves as Mall Operators and no longer simple transport locations.
Where will this leave the passenger? Strange things can happen in life and the conventional theories do not all ways hold true. A good example of this is how everybody loves to hate Ryanair and yet their traffic grows and grows. They are now the largest airline in Europe and larger than many traditional airlines such as British Airways. They certainly make more profit.
What is it about an airline with so many alleged onerous and unfair practices that attracts more and more people to their flights? The same could be said of Spirit in the USA.
This blog advocates the sale of duty free goods on arrival as it offers the consumer a practical option, whilst avoiding all those baggage and airline liquid security issues.
Perhaps this baggage battle is not about the flyer at all, but more about who controls a larger share of the retail pie? Either way, The European Commission have decided that it is their mission to protect the traveler and to alienate foreign airlines such as the Chinese, for using too much carbon.
Whilst the airports and airlines battle it out for their share of the revenues, check before you fly to see if you can buy on arrival and how much baggage you can carry and to where.
