Laurence Crumbie
A COURT in Sevilla has condemned the budget airline EasyJet for charging a Spanish passenger €60 to board with his laptop.
19-year-old Yoel was boarding an aircraft travelling from Sevilla’s San Pablo Airport to Bristol city last November when an air hostess told him his laptop was not permitted onboard and gave him an ultimatum: either he pays €60 on the spot or his computer stays on Spanish soil.
Yoel, who studies in Bristol and travels on the Sevilla-Bristol line twice a week, was understandably confused and asked why this was. But the EasyJet employee simply said that those were the rules and repeated his two options.
The incident took place right in the plane doorway and caused a disturbance just before departure, leaving the passenger with no choice but to take out his credit card and pay up – despite his reluctance.
On his return to Sevilla, though, Yoel informed EasyJet of this unjust fine and asked for his money back. When the airline refused to comply, the student went the legal route and the case eventually landed in Sevilla’s Mercantil court number three.
At the trial, which EasyJet did not attend, the judge sided with Yoel and sentenced the airline to reimburse him with interest and to pay a fine as well.
