Major airline confirms huge bag rule change across all flights | Personal Finance | Finance
Holidaymakers flying with Iberia face a blow after the airline tightened its baggage rules – slapping surcharges on suitcases it decides are the wrong shape.
The IAG-owned carrier has warned travel agents that passengers turning up at check-in with soft, round or non-rigid luggage.
As a result, travellers could now be charged extra fees ranging from €35 (£35) to €140 (£125) – and in some cases have their bags refused altogether.
Iberia says the crackdown applies to any baggage whose shape, material or dimensions could interfere with automated airport systems, including soft holdalls, plastic-wrapped packages, oval or circular bags and other non-rigid items.
In guidance circulated to agencies, the airline warns that such baggage may be rejected for operational or safety reasons – and even if accepted, could be sent on a later flight, rather than travelling with the passenger.
Brits heading for summer holidays will feel the squeeze because Iberia operates flights from multiple UK airports, including seasonal services during the busy summer months.
The carrier’s UK network includes:
- London Heathrow (LHR): Iberia’s principal UK base, with year‑round scheduled flights to Madrid and onward international connections.
- London Gatwick (LGW): Regular summer flights to Madrid – part of the airline’s seasonal schedule.
- Manchester Airport (MAN): Iberia Express operates flights to Madrid, although summer frequencies are reduced and currently only scheduled through September 2026.
- Edinburgh Airport (EDI): Included in Iberia’s UK route map, with services connecting Scotland to Madrid and beyond, particularly in the summer travel season.
From the UK, these Madrid connections allow travellers to reach Spanish holiday hotspots – Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, Barcelona and the Canary Islands – as well as longer‑haul destinations with a single connection.
How much will passengers be charged
Iberia’s official policy states that for luggage whose shape, material or dimensions may interfere with automated airport baggage systems, passengers may be charged the following additional fees per journey (origin to destination):
Regular one‑leg flights:
- Domestic (excluding Canary Islands): €35 / £35
- Canary Islands / Europe / Africa: €60 / £55
- America / Asia long‑haul: €125 / £110
These charges are in addition to your regular checked‑bag fee – so even if your ticket already includes a hold bag, you’ll still pay the surcharge if Iberia deems your luggage “irregular”.
Importantly, Iberia warns that staff at the airport will decide whether to accept irregular baggage, and the airline may refuse it entirely for safety or operational reasons, or send it on a later flight at its discretion.
Iberia says the measures are necessary because irregularly shaped items can jam conveyor belts and automated baggage systems, which are designed to handle rigid, rectangular suitcases.
“To ensure safe transport and minimise incidents,” the airline recommends passengers use “rigid, rectangular or stable suitcases.”
Crucially, Iberia makes clear that even paying the fee does not guarantee acceptance. Airport staff will decide whether irregular baggage can be checked in – and the airline reserves the right to refuse it outright if it believes there is a safety or operational risk.
In “exceptional cases”, Iberia warns that such items may not travel on the same flight as the passenger, instead being carried in a special hold or shipped later. The airline already charges for so-called special baggage, including sports equipment and musical instruments.
Golf clubs, skis and fishing equipment typically cost €30–€40 (£26–£34) if booked online, rising to €60–€66 (£52–£57) at the airport.
Bicycles and surfboards are more expensive, but musical instruments are the priciest of all, with charges ranging from €150 to €330 (£130 to £285) per item, depending on the route. These must be checked in at the airport.
Firearms — usually carried for shooting competitions – can also be transported, at a cost of €75 to €105 (£65 to £90), and are handled directly by armed officers at airport terminals.
Iberia is owned by International Airlines Group (IAG) – which also controls British Airways, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL.
While the new surcharge currently applies only to Iberia, it reflects a broader trend across the industry – and within IAG – of airlines tightening baggage rules and monetising anything that falls outside strict size and shape limits.
