EU Fixes Airplane's Minimum Size of the Free Cabin Bag

Europe’s airlines have finally agreed on what counts as a free carry-on bag, yet the small victory for travellers comes wrapped in a wider fight over passenger rights that is far from over. Starting next year, the humble under-seat backpack will be measured against a single standard minimum size across the continent: 40×30×15 cm. Anything that fits those bounds travels for free.

Why the new measurement matters

The row over cabin baggage has rumbled on for more than a decade, sowing confusion at airport gates and fueling last-minute fees. Portuguese expatriates shuttling between Lisbon and the rest of Europe know the drill: what passed for free on one flight could cost €40 on the return leg. Pressure from consumer groups, a 2024 ruling by the EU Court of Justice and months of talks in Brussels have now produced a basic standard that every carrier in the Airlines for Europe lobby (A4E) must honour.

Carriers serving Portugal and their promises

For residents here the headline names are TAP Air Portugal, easyJet and Ryanair. TAP already prints 40 × 30 × 15 cm on its website, so enforcement rather than size will change. EasyJet says it will continue to allow a slightly larger box—45 × 36 × 20 cm—while still guaranteeing the new minimum. Ryanair, keen to stay ahead of regulators, plans to stretch its allowance to 40 × 30 × 20 cm later this summer. Legacy groups such as Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways, all flying into Portuguese hubs, also confirm they will be ready well before the cut-off.

Countdown to the end of summer 2025

A4E’s deal gives airlines until the close of the 2025 summer timetable—traditionally the last Sunday in October—to install new bag sizers and update terms of carriage. From that moment a single under-seat piece is guaranteed on every flight operated by an A4E member, regardless of fare type. Regional carriers that operate turboprops may seek exemptions on safety grounds, but the association insists even they must accept the agreed footprint whenever space allows.

One free item, not two

The Brussels accord settles only the smallest bag. A laptop sleeve or duty-free tote counts as a second article and may attract a fee unless your ticket or status says otherwise. Some airlines will keep offering an overhead-locker suitcase at no extra cost, others will not. A4E’s own spokesperson tells ECO newspaper that additional pieces “could be subject to a charge,” reinforcing the need to read the small-print on each booking.

A wider tug-of-war over passenger rights

While size rules are now clear, the broader reform of EU air-travel rights is bogged down in trilogue negotiations. Transport ministers favour looser compensation thresholds—four hours for short flights, six for long-haul—and want to legitimise charges for any bag that does not fit under the seat. Most Members of the European Parliament reject those changes, warning of the biggest rollback in consumer protection in twenty years. Lobby group AirHelp calls the Council’s draft “an unprecedented step backwards,” but the outcome of the talks remains uncertain as of July 2025.

Practical advice for foreign residents

Until the political dust settles, the smartest purchase is a soft backpack or satchel that respects the 40 × 30 × 15 cm frame. Once enforcement tightens in autumn 2025 cabin crews are unlikely to overlook an extra camera bag or bulky handbag. If you hold TAP Miles&Go Gold, easyJet Plus or another elite card, confirm in advance whether it still grants overhead space. Finally, keep boarding passes and delay notices: the current three-hour compensation rule survives for now and may still earn you cash should your flight go wrong.

Looking ahead

Uniform sizing should remove at least one pinch-point at security lines and boarding doors. Whether tickets become cheaper or dearer will hinge on the outcome of the larger legislative battle over fees and delays. For the moment, travellers in and out of Portugal can celebrate a modest but tangible win: the certainty that one small bag, measured to a standard height, width and depth, will no longer spark an argument at the gate.