Fury as Wizz Air CHARGES Ukrainian refugees for luggage: Family of four forced to pay £110 for bringing two suitcases with them on free flight escaping warzone for UK
- Agnese Edmonds, from Essex, says refugees paying for baggage ‘feels unfair’
- The woman, hosting a refugee family, says Wizz Air made them pay for luggage
- The family of four were this week asked to pay €130 (£108.49) for two suitcases
A woman hosting a Ukrainian refugee family fleeing the war has told of her shock that they were asked to pay for luggage by an airline providing free flights for those escaping.
Agnese Edmonds, who is now housing the family of four, said they were asked to pay €130 (£108.49) for two suitcases when booking their tickets from Krakow, Poland to London Luton earlier this week via Wizz Air.
The flight itself was free, but the family was asked to pay for their bags.
Earlier in March Wizz Air announced that it will provide 100,000 free seats from neighbouring countries to support Ukrainian refugees (stock photo used)
Ms Edmonds, who is from Essex, is ‘gobsmacked’ and finds that the charge ‘feels unfair and strange’.
Speaking to LBC, she said: ‘Although they didn’t have too much luggage…the adults had one suitcase each, so they had to pay for that.
‘So I’m not sure for those people who didn’t have any money, you know, how would they get through? Who would pay for them?’
‘I couldn’t believe (it), the family couldn’t believe, I was gobsmacked because I thought – well if you’re offering the flight, they’re already on the flight, well surely they can take their luggage with them?’
‘For some sponsors they could pay for the luggage but if you had no money and no sponsor, how do you get on the flight? It does seem unfair and just strange.’
MailOnline has reached out to Wizz Air for comment.
Earlier in March the airline announced that it will provide 100,000 free seats from neighbouring countries to support Ukrainian refugees.
A statement on its website said: ‘Wizz Air…will support Ukrainian refugees by offering them 100,000 free seats* on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine’s border countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania).
‘Wizz Air is committed to helping the refugees reach their final destinations, wherever that may be.’
On its website, Wizz Air however does say Ukrainian refugee flights may still be subject to additional bag fees.
It adds: ‘One carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm) per passenger is included for free.
‘Any other additional bags and services can be purchased during or after booking. Standard fares apply.’
Agnese Edmonds, who is now housing the family of four, said they were asked to pay €130 (£108.49) for two suitcases when booking their tickets from Krakow, Poland to London Luton earlier this week. Stock photo used
The airline may charge from €5 to €59 per flight, passenger and bag during low season, or €6 to €71.50 for the same weight during high season, according to its website.
It comes as it was today reported that Ukrainians arriving under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are already being forced into homelessness and a number of female refugees have faced ‘sexual advances’ by their British hosts, councils have claimed.
Families who have arrived under the new visa scheme say they are still struggling to access cash while they wait for benefits and are having to be put up in hotels.
Dozens of matches under the separate Homes for Ukraine scheme are understood to have broken down, with local authorities having to put families in emergency accommodation while they wait to find a new sponsor.
Around 12,000 people had arrived in the UK under Ukraine visa schemes as of Tuesday, according to Home Office figures.
The chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA), councillor James Jamieson, said councils need to be told in advance who is arriving under the family scheme and given funding so they can support them.
He said: ‘Councils are already seeing a concerning increase in homelessness presentations from Ukraine arrivals – including those who have arrived via the family scheme and where the families’ accommodation is not suitable or the relationship has broken down shortly after arrival – and lone children arriving in the UK needing support.’
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