Ryanair has firmly dismissed rumours claiming its staff are paid commission for catching oversized carry-on luggage, following a growing number of complaints from passengers hit with hefty fines at the departure gate.
The budget airline, known for its strict baggage rules, has found itself at the centre of controversy as a seemingly growing number of travellers share stories of being charged up to €75 for oversized bags.
Passengers claim they are being asked to place their carry-on bags into a size-checker to ensure they fit within the designated measurements, without any bulging or protrusions.
Ryanair's baggage policy allows passengers to bring one small personal item onboard for free, such as a handbag or laptop bag, which must fit under the seat in front of them. Alternatively, travellers can pay between €6 and €36 to also bring onboard a larger cabin suitcase, or between €11.99 and €29.99 to check in a 10kg bag.
With the cost-of-living crisis hitting many households across Ireland, holidaymakers are looking for ways to cut costs wherever possible, including skipping fees for cabin suitcases. However, Ryanair's policy makes it clear that attempting to bring oversized bags onboard can result in steep fines of up to €75 at the gate.
One solution that's been gaining popularity is the Ryanair-approved Lossga Cabin Size Hand Luggage Bag, which fits within the airline's size restrictions and is available on Amazon for just €23.25. Shoppers are raving about its surprising capacity, with many saying it's a perfect fit for Ryanair's strict carry-on dimensions.
Despite the rumours, Ryanair has assured passengers that their policy has remained unchanged for seven years. Chief Marketing Officer Dara Brady recently told Virgin Media News: "Our staff have always been there to enforce the policy. It's not about commission, we don't pay our staff commission for bags. It's about protecting the amount of bags we can bring onboard.
"We can only take a limited amount of bags onboard, so our staff have to be very conscious of the bag sizes that people are taking. I reiterate that there's been no change in the Ryanair bag policy and if people travel with the right size bags, well you'll have a great flight with Ryanair."
Last year, the airline also slammed rumours of 'secretly shrinking luggage sizers'. Ryanair Director of Communications Jade Kirwan addressed social media claims that Ryanair had "suddenly" or "secretly" reduced the size of cabin bags allowed on board, in order to catch people out for that extra €75 surcharge.
Jade told CorkBeo at the time: "We haven't changed the rules on bags, changed the dimensions allowed or shrunk the sizers at departure gates. It hasn't happened, I've just checked into this again because we have seen all the chat on social media. The rules have not changed in ten years."
She clarified: "What may be happening, is that people that have gotten through a few times before because they were not closely checked have finally gotten that check. It's a system operated by humans so it can differ from flight to flight, airport to airport. But no, we haven't secretly replaced the bag sizers at the gates. Just look at them the next time you fly, they usually look like they've gotten a fair bit of use over a long time!"
Ryanair luggage rules
If your bag exceeds the size limit at the gate, be prepared to shell out a hefty €75 fee.
- Small bag: One personal item allowed onboard for free (40x20x25cm), must fit under the seat.
- Priority and 2 cabin bags: One small bag plus an additional 10kg cabin bag (55x40x20cm) in the overhead locker, with priority boarding.
- Checked baggage: A 10kg check-in bag can be purchased, or a 20kg checked bag for a higher fee. Passengers can purchase up to three checked bags of 20kg on their booking.
- Infant baggage: Two items of baby equipment allowed free of charge. There's no cabin bag allowance for an infant (aged 8 days to 23 months), however, a baby bag up to 5kg (45x35x20cms) for babies travelling on an adult's lap is allowed.
A statement on the Ryanair website states: "Extra/oversized Baggage will be refused at the boarding gate, or where available, placed in the hold of the aircraft for a fee at the level set out in our Regulations. Ryanair accepts no responsibility for oversized or excess Baggage which is refused at the boarding gate and subsequently abandoned by you."
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