EasyJet in Nice: Fight Over Refusal to Pay Baggage Fee
FR

Translated into English.

Original post
EA
The couple involved refused to pay the extra fee demanded by the flight coordination company. Things quickly escalated. It got so bad that the man ended up physically fighting with an airport agent, even rolling on the ground.

https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/il-refuse-de-payer-un-supplement-bagages-le-litige-se-termine-en-bagarre-a-l-aeroport-de-nice-999711

If you can’t afford to pay for your luggage, don’t travel 😡. What’s next? Are they gonna hit the tour guide in Mykonos because the price of the tour went up without warning 🤪?

A heads-up to all EasyJet travelers: baggage checks are more strict than ever!
AT Attila Globetrotter ·
I think this kind of incident is going to become more common with these unsustainable low-price policies for airlines.

On top of that, it’s getting extremely complicated to compare prices since no one is selling the same basic service beyond the flight itself.

If anyone knows a comparison site that lets you check boxes for cabin baggage, hold baggage, and standard seat reservation, I’d love to hear about it! !
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

I read your article.

It’s a bit unclear. The "bagarre" (fight), in itself, is a violent altercation, like those that happen in public spaces for all sorts of reasons—and, let’s be honest, often under the influence of stimulants, alcohol, or something else. Nothing specifically related to air travel. After that, the dispute—we don’t really know the details. The couple refused to pay, maybe wrongly, maybe rightly; it’s possible.

The fact that everything is filmed these days and that scenes like this are monetized by media outlets looking for an easy and effective way to attract clicks (and thus revenue) gives us the impression that violent altercations are more frequent. That’s also something to consider.

Michel
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi Agnès,

I think this kind of incident is going to become more common with this unsustainable low-price policy for airlines.

I actually felt that the era of low introductory prices was a bit behind us, and that everything was clearer now when it comes to passenger information.

Michel
AT Attila Globetrotter ·
Hey Michel,

Not at all.

It’s always a nearly bare price that’s advertised.

The worst are the traditional airlines.

With low-cost carriers, it’s pretty clear to everyone that you’ll have to pay extra for everything (drinks, seats, meals, cabin and hold baggage, even boarding passes...).

But not with the traditional ones.

With some, baggage is included, but not with others. If you’re flying to Africa, baggage is free. If you’re flying to Asia, it’s not (same airline). And so on and so forth.
EL Elenitsa Veteran ·
People are fighting to pay for extra baggage, but they can afford a vacation in Mykonos at 250 € a night and all the rest? And even if they weren’t staying in Mykonos, in the Cyclades, a night costs at least 90 € minimum.

Another solution: don’t take low-cost airlines but regular ones where prices for baggage are clearly displayed, and you’re treated well.
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hello,

Men don’t fight over money—they fight over matters of pride, honor, and self-respect. We don’t know the exact circumstances, but airport staff are usually trained to avoid reaching that point at all costs. Psychology, tact, knowing how to defuse tension even if it means making a few concessions, etc. There are a lot—*a lot*—of staffing issues in European airports: labor shortages, poorly prepared or trained workers. This is especially true in the summer, when most European airports struggle. Again, we don’t know who’s really at fault here, but the professionals who have to handle the situation are the staff behind the counter, and they should do everything possible to avoid escalating things to that level.

Michel
EA EACitizen Veteran ·
Hello,

I read your article.

It’s a bit unclear. The fight, in itself, is a violent altercation, like those that happen in public spaces for all sorts of reasons—and, let’s be honest, often under the influence of stimulants, alcohol, or something else. Nothing specifically related to air travel. After that, the dispute—we don’t know the details. The couple refused to pay, maybe wrongly, maybe rightly; it’s possible.

The fact that everything is filmed these days and that this kind of scene is monetized by the media, which sees it as an easy and effective way to attract clicks and revenue, gives us the impression that violent altercations are more frequent. That’s also something to consider.

Michel

Other sources: https://www.midilibre.fr/2025/08/30/video-ils-devaient-partir-a-mykonos-avec-un-vol-easyjet-leur-bagage-cabine-est-trop-volumineux-la-situation-degenere-completement-a-laeroport-12901348.php

https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/alpes-maritimes/nice/video-ils-refusent-de-payer-le-supplement-bagages-une-bagarre-eclate-a-l-aeroport-de-nice-cote-d-azur-deux-voyageurs-devant-la-justice-3208598.html

It’s hard to see the airport employee as the catalyst for this escalation. On the other hand, bad behavior is definitely more common with low-cost airlines! Like recently, that couple—tipsy—trying to join the mile-high club on EasyJet... https://www.air-journal.fr/2025-08-19-histoires-dete-un-couple-ivre-deasyjet-veut-rejoindre-le-mile-hight-club-et-senferme-dans-les-toilettes-5264820.html

(PS: I’ve got nothing against EZY—I fly with them from time to time 🙂)
EA EACitizen Veteran ·
People will fight to avoid paying for extra baggage, but they can afford a vacation in Mykonos at 250 € a night and all the rest? Even if they weren’t staying in Mykonos, in the Cyclades, a night costs at least 90 €.

Another solution: don’t fly with low-cost airlines but with regular carriers where baggage prices are clearly displayed, and you’re treated well.

Exactly! The reason for their travel has nothing to do with their frustration—it’s not like they were on an emergency trip. Those islands are stunning, but you’ve got to plan for the budget and all the extras!
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
I can hardly see the airport employee becoming the catalyst for this escalation.

I don’t know. But if they’re well trained, they’ll do everything to avoid it. Right now, it’s trendy to jump on these stories that are complacently shared—often on Facebook or in newspaper pages. Maybe the analysis blaming it on the savagery of the people deserves a bit of perspective. And once again, I think seeing this as a money issue misses the point.

Michel
ER Erjome Globetrotter ·
Hello,

Unfortunately, this story reflects our current society. Everyone wants everything as cheap as possible, and at the slightest problem, things escalate. When all you have to do is read everything during booking, pay for the options you want, and follow the rules. But apparently, that’s too complicated for some people.

In a different context, a friend told me he had the misfortune of honking at a car, and the driver got out with a knife. He ran away and lost him.

We’ve reached a point where you can’t say anything without risking upsetting someone and things spiraling out of control. Violence is everywhere, and many professions now put up signs about it to try to protect their staff.

I’m especially thinking of the employee who was just doing their job by following their company’s instructions. Fortunately, they got out of it okay. But what about next time?
MA Manondugard Regular ·
Whether it's low-cost airlines or not, everything is clear on their websites—you just have to read what you're buying before confirming the purchase (that is, if you know how to read). 🤪 And beyond the money these companies make, flight safety comes first. Good luck explaining to that hysterical woman that her sequined Brazilian swimsuit weighs 3 tons. 😂 If 50 divas with huge suitcases want to compete on the beaches of Mykonos, how’s the plane supposed to take off?? 😂 People only think about themselves and don’t respect others. As someone who only boards a plane at the last minute—because the seats in the departure lounge are way more comfortable than those in the cabin (why board first and wait an hour on the plane before takeoff? Someone explain that to me)—🤪 Of course, someone always takes the overhead bin space above my seat, and I immediately remove the suitcase of the person who goes, "Oh, but ma’am, I had no space left elsewhere." Don’t wanna hear it—deal with it... no way!!! 😏
MI Mitch341 Veteran ·
Whether they're low-cost airlines or not, everything is clear on their websites—you just have to read what you're buying before confirming the purchase (that is, if you know how to read). 🤪 And beyond the money these companies make, flight safety comes first. Try explaining to that hysterical woman that her sequined Brazilian swimsuit weighs 3 tons. 😂 If 50 chicks with huge suitcases want to compete on the beaches of Mykonos, how’s the plane supposed to take off?? 😂 People only think about themselves and don’t respect others. As someone who only boards a plane at the last minute—because airport waiting-area seats are way more comfortable than those in the cabin (why board first and wait an hour on the plane before takeoff? Someone explain that to me)—🤪 Of course, someone always takes the space in the overhead compartment above my seat, and I immediately toss out the suitcase of the person who goes, "Oh, but ma’am, I had no room anywhere else." Don’t wanna hear it—figure it out yourself, seriously!!! 😏

Well, that’s one way to put it...
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hello,

Get everything as cheap as possible, and at the slightest problem, it escalates.

Do you really want to see this as a money issue? I don’t think so. A lot of people are on edge, but more because they feel cheated, betrayed by promises, tricked by the details. In the pictures, you can see it was a pretty "even" fight, by the way. We also have media that loves to create buzz with images, that no longer has journalists, that doesn’t cover in-depth topics, and that lives off clicks and ads. Is there anywhere with a slightly precise investigation or a clear testimony about what triggered the scene?

Michel
AT Attila Globetrotter ·
what caused the scene?

It's all in the title.
MU Muriel18 Globetrotter ·
Hello

A lot of people are indeed on edge, but more because they feel cheated, betrayed by promises, tricked by the details

The size and weight limits for carry-on luggage are clearly stated on low-cost airlines' websites. Every time I’ve flown low-cost, I’ve seen people in the boarding line trying to sneak through (knowing full well what they’re doing). Sometimes it works, sometimes there’s a sizer: it fits or it doesn’t, you can’t win every time, and in the latter case, I don’t see why refusing to pay is justified!
MA Manondugard Regular ·
Whether it's low-cost airlines or not, everything is clear on their websites—you just have to read what you're buying before confirming the purchase (though you still need to know how to read). 🤪 And beyond the money these companies make, flight safety comes first. Try explaining to that hysterical woman that her sequined Brazilian swimsuit weighs 3 tons. 😂 If 50 divas with huge suitcases want to compete on the beaches of Mykonos, how’s the plane supposed to take off? 😂 People only think about themselves and don’t respect others. As someone who only boards a plane at the last minute—because airport waiting-area seats are way more comfortable than those in the cabin (why board first and wait an hour on the plane before takeoff? Someone explain that to me)—🤪 Of course, someone always takes the overhead bin space above my seat, and I immediately remove the suitcase of the person who goes, "Oh, but ma’am, I had no space left elsewhere." Don’t wanna hear it—deal with it! No way!!! 😏

How elegantly these things are said...

A little explanation is in order: 😏 The most active members on the forum are roughly between 50 and 75 years old. I assumed they (or should I say *they*—since it could be women too) were old enough to understand when I’m "playing" the Marseille bimbo because it’s just a bit of fun for me—it’s just to spice up my replies (I can also play the posh lady without any issue). 😏 I also thought that, given the advanced age of the active members, they’d get that only the meaning of my responses matters. 🙄 But if, for them, my sense of humor overshadows the relevance of my points, I feel sorry for them. 😏 Their lives must be pretty dull. As for their intelligence level, I’d rather not comment. 😂 Take care!!!
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
Hi,

The dimensions and weight of carry-on luggage allowed in the cabin are clearly stated on low-cost airlines' websites

With different policies, different dimensions, and types of tickets that make comparison impossible, an effort could be made to improve clarity.

Every time I've taken a low-cost flight, I've seen people in the boarding line trying to sneak through (knowing full well what they were doing).

It's hard to tell what's truly low-cost anymore, but in any case, there's always some room for interpretation. In any plane, there's a proportion of bags that aren't really within the rules, and that's just accepted.

The trend is toward more carry-on luggage, with planes better adapted for it.

Michel
TA Tatra Globetrotter ·
It's all in the title.

The phrase can refer to a whole range of situations, and the trigger is probably a word, a tone, an expression... Too much luggage? A planned bag that exceeds the size or weight limits? A difference of opinion over a soft bag, a handle, or wheels?

Michel
AT Attila Globetrotter ·
but in any case, there’s always room for interpretation

There’s a template.

It either fits or it doesn’t.

The best way to constantly have brawls like the one in Nice is to accept small breaches of the contract (your "room for interpretation").

Why him and not me? One centimeter today, why not two tomorrow?

And then low-cost airlines are commercial companies. They’re here to make money. Why would they give gifts to their customers?

The routes they operate have little to no competition. The customer is more or less captive.

I try to avoid them as much as possible, especially Ryanair (not because of the paid baggage), but sometimes I don’t have a choice.

As mentioned several times in this thread, a growing number of people think everything is owed to them and that everything should be almost free. They don’t care that there are employees who need to be paid fairly behind the scenes—it’s all about their own pleasure.

Between those who board drunk, those who bring their own booze, and those who fight to save a few bucks, flying is sometimes a real ordeal.

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