EasyJet Refunds Passenger After Carry-On Bag Dispute at Gatwick

Aðalsteinn Svan Hjelm, an employee of Marel who travels frequently for work, found himself in a dispute with easyJet after being charged an excess baggage fee for his carry-on luggage at London Gatwick Airport. Hjelm, traveling with his daughter, stated that his Samsonite suitcase, which is "easyJet Verified" by the manufacturer, consistently meets airline size requirements.

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This was in April when my daughter and I went on holiday to Greece where we visited my sister and then we had this wonderful incident with easyJet at Gatwick Airport in London where I was stopped with my Samsonite carry-on suitcase.

Upon attempting to board a flight to Greece in April, Hjelm and his daughter were told their bags were too large for the overhead compartments. They were directed to a metal measuring frame at the departure gate. Hjelm found it "absurd" that his bag, which he knew to be the correct size for suits and essentials on business trips, did not fit. He noted that many other passengers also had their bags deemed too large.

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I just found it absurd that the bag did not fit in the frame at all. I know my bag; it fits my suits and essentials for business trips.

Hjelm suspected foul play, observing that the measuring frame's side panels appeared to have been deliberately loosened on one side, narrowing the opening. He described the situation as a form of "extortion" given the pressure to pay the 48-pound (approximately 8,100 ISK) fee per bag to avoid further delays. He paid a total of 16,000 ISK for himself and his daughter.

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There are loose metal plates that are supposed to be fastened outside the frame, but one side had been loosened, thus narrowing the bags. The flight was waiting, and you couldn't argue with the staff, so it's also a form of extortion.

Following the incident, Hjelm initiated a complaint process. His research and persistence, supported by the British consumer organization Which? and an independent UK adjudicator, Aviation ADR, led to a resolution. EasyJet eventually agreed to refund the excess fees. In their communication, the airline admitted that the measuring frames at Gatwick had been tampered with, though Hjelm questioned the fate of other passengers who may have paid the fee under similar circumstances.

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What about all the others?