Airline’s strict new luggage rules introduced with £125 fines

A Spanish airline has cracked down on passengers travelling with irregularly-shaped luggage.

Flag carrier Iberia has imposed new regulations on luggage that is not rigid, rectangular or “proportionally-sized”. which could land them with charges of up to £125.

From 28 January, the airline said that extra charges may apply for checking in non-standard bags, which it defines as any item whose shape, material or dimensions may interfere with the airport’s automated systems.

This could include soft bags, plastic packages, round or oval bags or non-rigid packaging.

Iberia said that luggage will be assessed at the special check-in counter, where an additional charge could apply. Baggage could be refused altogether for operational or security reasons.

In exceptional cases, the airline may fly out the luggage on a separate flight.

For domestic flights in Spain (excluding the Canary Islands), passengers could be charged up to £35 for non-standard suitcases. This increases to £55 for Europe and Africa, and £110 for America and Asia.

If the passenger has booked a connecting flight within Europe and Africa, this price rises to £65 or £125 for America and Asia.

This charge is additional to the baggage price, which is usually included in the flight fare.

With the exception of sports equipment, musical instruments or other special items, Iberia advises packing items into standard suitcases to avoid the charge.

An Iberia spokesperson clarified to The Sun: “This is a widely accepted practice across the airline industry, where many carriers apply supplementary fees for oversized or irregularly shaped baggage to reflect the extra resources and care involved.

“It is also important to note that, even with the introduction of this special baggage fee, Iberia’s pricing for irregular items remains well below the industry average for comparable services.

“Iberia continues to offer competitive and transparent conditions for all passengers”.

Read more: A pilot explains why airlines have gotten so strict about luggage weight limits