A Hungarian air carrier that offered Ukrainian refugees free flights has been charging them for luggage.
Agnese Edmonds is hosting a Ukrainian family of four and was shocked when they told her how they were asked to pay £108 for their two suitcases when they booked their flights with Wizz Air.
The flight carrier offered the flight for free, but asked the refugees to pay for their bags.
Ms Edmonds, from Essex, said she was “gobsmacked” to find out and said that the charge felt “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?”
She worried about those refugees who didn’t have the money to pay for their luggage and what would happen to then.
The eastern European airline announced earlier in March that it would be providing 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.”
However, on their website Wizz Air do state that Ukrainian refugees still might be charged for additional baggage 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.”
The baggage charge may come in from £4 to £49 per flight, during low season, or between £5-£60 during the busier times of the year.
This comes as the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme has reportedly run into a number of issues already, with some refugees ending up on the street.
On top of that, arriving families have reportedly been struggling to access cash as they wait for benefits.
Dozens of matches under the scheme are believed to have broken down with local authorities stepping in to help put the families up in emergency accommodation.
According to Home Office figures around 12,000 people have arrived in the UK as of this week under the new visa scheme.
The chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA), councillor James Jamieson 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.”
