Two major airlines stop allowing large cabin bags for free

Air France & KLM test new fare: no more free cabin trolleys on some routes 🧳

Pirates, changes are in the air – quite literally.

Air France and KLM (yep, they’re part of the same airline group) have introduced a new ‘Economy Basic’ fare on selected European routes as of 9 September 2025. The main change? You won’t be able to take a cabin-size trolley on board for free anymore.

So, what’s going on?

The new ‘Economy Basic’ ticket only includes a small bag (max. 40 x 30 x 15 cm) that fits under the seat in front – basically what the budget airlines already do. If you want to bring a wheelie case or larger cabin bag, you’ll need to pay around €15 extra for the ‘Economy Light’ fare.

Is it cheaper overall?

We checked a few example routes:

Travelling light with just a small backpack? You might save around £5 compared to the old fares.

Need your trusty cabin trolley? You’ll often pay £10 or more than you would’ve done before – so this is basically a sneaky price hike for anyone who doesn’t pack like a minimalist monk.

What else is changing?

If you go for the new ‘Economy Basic’ fare:

• You’re allowed one small underseat bag (max. 40 x 30 x 15 cm) for free

• You can still collect miles, but not status points

Which routes are affected?

The new fare is being tested on flights to/from Paris or Amsterdam and the following cities:

• Helsinki

• Tunis

• Athens

• Vienna

• Dublin

• Stockholm

• Munich

• Turin

• Florence

• Prague

💡 Note: If you’ve got a connecting flight with Air France or KLM beyond these cities, you won’t be offered the Basic fare – so you’ll still get the bigger hand luggage allowance.

Will this roll out to more flights?

Probably. Airlines have a habit of starting with a few routes, then rolling it out more widely once passengers get used to it. And sadly, don’t be surprised if other major airlines (like Lufthansa or British Airways) follow suit. They’ve done it before with things like charging for seat selection or checked luggage in basic fares.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one – and as always, we'll flag the fare types clearly in our deals so you know exactly what you're getting.