Ryanair has tweaked its cabin baggage policy, prompting travellers to dig deeper into their pockets if they wish to bring a larger carry-on.
The airline’s current stipulation demands an additional fee for Priority boarding for those looking to take a 10kg suitcase on the plane.
At present, only a small personal item with dimensions up to 40x20x25cm is permitted without extra charges as part of the ticket price.
To include both a personal bag and a 10kg case measuring no more than 55x40x20cm, customers must shell out between £6 and £36 when booking their flight.
However, Ryanair imposes heftier fees for those who opt for Priority after their initial booking or at the airport.
Previously, the airline’s website indicated these costs ranged from £20 to £38, but recent updates show an increase, now stating fees from £20 to £60, reports Birmingham Live.
In response to queries about the price hike, Ryanair pointed to its variable fee structure: “Fee varies depending on the route and travel dates selected.
“Non-priority customers who have not added a bag to their booking can still purchase a 10kg Check-in bag at the airport bag drop desk for €/£ 35.99. Non-priority customers who bring their 10kg Check-in bag to the boarding gate may check it in against payment of a fee of €/£ 46.00 – €/£ 60.00”
A spokesperson for Ryanair explained the rationale behind the change: “This is to align with the gate bag fee if passengers choose to bring their 10kg to the boarding gate and want to carry it on board, then they are subject to a gate fee.”
Fuming Ryanair customers are flooding social media with grievances about the airline’s pile-up of extra costs, accusing the carrier of charging exorbitant fees on top of their advertised prices for services like airport check-in and printing boarding passes.
One disgruntled traveller, @ColinScunner, vented on X (formerly Twitter): “So @Ryanair have put the price of Priority boarding up from £26 to £40 … rip off … everything extra, so you book your flight then it’s add on after add on after add on. Before you know it you’re another £100 out of pocket.”
@Sickboy_Mcsatan chimed: “Just avoid Ryanair if you can, they make EasyJet seem luxurious and customer friendly. They charge extra for *every* little thing, I’ll never use them again if there’s an alternative.”
Adding to the outcry, Andy Holmes pointed out: “Cheap flights can still be found but not many. Adding priority really brings up the price. Can use a tiny bag for a two-day trip but usually need a trolley bag and therefore priority is required and sometimes it costs more than the ticket.”
Savvy shoppers may find solace in sales on travel accessories that comply with Ryanair’s stringent baggage rules. For instance, Antler’s Brixham Cabin Bag, compatible with Ryanair’s Priority 10kg allowance, has a hefty discount of £51 at the moment.
Additionally, Amazon boasts a steal on the KLOSTAIN Cabin Bag, prime for sneaking under airplane seats and permissible as a small personal item on Ryanair flights, now going for only £22.09 in a tempting limited-time offer.
It comes as Ryanair has announced that it plans to open four new London routes to its flight map. The low-budget airline, operates more than 640 routes to and from the UK, including destinations Dublin, Hamburg, Gdansk, Vilnius, Porto, Malta and Ibiza.
Ryanair will now also fly to Dubrovnik (Croatia), Linz (Austria), Reggio (Italy) and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) from London Stansted.
These added flight paths from the UK capital will start in the winter of 2024. However, it remains unknown the exact dates you can start travelling there.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “We are pleased to announce 4 new Ryanair routes from London to Dubrovnik, Linz, Reggio & Sarajevo for W2024, adding to Ryanair’s UK schedule of over 640 routes, giving UK citizens/visitors even more choice at the lowest airfares in the UK.”