Is food hand luggage? Ryanair and Spain compete – 05/31/2023 – Market

The government of the Balearic Islands, Spain, called a meeting with Ryanair after the airline tried to charge 45 euros (R$ 244) to two passengers carrying a traditional sweet known as Ensaïmada, claiming the item could be classified as luggage. hand.

The concern of local authorities and the local confectionery association is that sales of the product are affected by the company’s behavior, as tourists may give up traveling with the delicacy in case of additional charges.

Ensaïmada is a sweet bread traditionally associated with the Arab heritage, usually in the shape of a coil. It is quite common in Balearic Island homes for Ensaïmadas to be dipped in hot chocolate for breakfast, but the sweet is also consumed as a mid-afternoon snack.

Pep Magraner, president of the Balearic Islands Pastry Chefs Association, told The Guardian that other airlines generally allow their passengers to board with up to two Ensaïmadas on their own, unlike Ryanair.

“It’s a problem with Ryanair, but we are talking about a lot of flights, mainly to Spain, which is the destination of most Ensaïmadas,” Magraner told the newspaper.

This dispute falls under a larger disagreement between the local government and airlines over what exactly qualifies as carry-on luggage. The future of Ensaïmada de Mallorca in Ryanair passenger luggage is still uncertain.