The Balearic Islands called an urgent meeting with Irish low-cost airline Ryanair and the local pastry makers association after Ryanair tried to charge passengers to bring cakes onboard, claiming it exceeded their cabin baggage limit. According to a report by The Guardian on Monday (May 29), two passengers at the Palma de Mallorca airport tried to each carry an ensaïmada– a traditional Mallorcan pastry- along with their hand baggage.
Ryanair demanded an additional $48 (€45) to bring these pastries onboard, and the passengers abandoned them rather than paying the extra amount.
Meeting to be held this week
As per The Guardian report, the meeting between the government of Balearic Islands, Ryanair, and the local pastry makers’ association would be held this week. The Balerics’ Tourism Minister Iago Negueruela said the meeting was called to defend local produce and avoid any kind of discrimination.
Tourism Minister Negueruela hoped that the issue would be resolved during the meeting.
‘It’s only a problem with Ryanair…’: Pastry makers association
Pep Magraner, the president of the Balearic Islands pastry-makers association, said that passengers may take onboard ensaïmadas bought at the Palma de Mallorca airport’s duty-free shop and that this discriminated against other suppliers.
Magraner pointed out that all other airlines allowed passengers to take wo ensaïmadas on board. “It’s only a problem with Ryanair, but we’re talking about a lot of flights, especially to the Spanish mainland, which is the destination of most of the ensaïmadas,” the president said.
The report said that the issue is part of a wider dispute over the interpretation of what comprises hand luggage. In 2022, the consumer affairs office of the Balearic Islands filed cases against three airlines- easyJet, Eurowings, and Volotea- demanding fines of around $21,413 (€20,000) for charging massive fees for hand baggage.
It added that Facua, a consumers’ association, levelled similar charges at Vueling and Ryanair. These cases are being considered by the Consumers’ Affairs Ministry in Madrid while there is pressure on Spanish airports company Aena to come up with a formula.
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