Budget airline Ryanair faces heavy fines in Spain for charging passengers who have booked flights on the web extra for checking in luggage.
The regional government in the Balearic Islands has started legal proceedings against the airline for making the "hidden" charges, alleging a breach of consumer protection regulations.
Inspectors from the government's consumer protection department visited airports in Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca. At each, Ryanair was charging passengers who had bought tickets online £17 extra for a boarding card and £17 for each item of luggage checked in.
The regional goverment argues the airline should either state on its website that such charges will be made or stop charging. The authority also argues that extra charges for luggage cannot be imposed below a certain weight.
The local government is taking similar action against the Spanish cheap-flight airline Clickair.
If the legal action is successful, the airlines will each face a fine ranging from £2550 to £255,000. The size of fine will depend on whether the courts rule that they have committed a minor, serious or very serious infringement of regulations.
Last week, Ryanair said it was launching a string of new direct services between Prestwick airport and Spain to take advantage of Spanish tax concessions.
From October, the no-frills airline will launch several flights a week between Prestwick and Alicante, Palma, Lanzarote and Las Palmas.
It will begin running three flights a week to Ibiza from March next year, and there will also be more frequent flights to the sun-seeker hubs of Malaga, Tenerife and Faro in Portugal.
Spain is offering a 100% discount on airport charges this winter, but Ryanair said the continuation of the new routes was dependent on the extension of the discount.
