Ryanair is bringing in new rules that will limit the amount of baggage that you can bring on board the aircraft, unless you pay a fee of course!
Under the new rules, which come into force on the 1st November 2018, you can now only bring a bag on-board that will fit under the seat in from of you, a small laptop bag or handbag for example.
If you want to bring a bigger bag, up to 10kgs, which will go in the overhead luggage bin then you will have to pay for priority boarding. a fee of £6 per person, per flight. For a family of 4 travelling that immediately adds £48 on to the cost of a return flight.
Previously you could bring one bag up to 10kgs and one small item such as a handbag on board for free.
Ryanair says that the move is not intended as a moneymaking scheme and is designed to “improve punctuality and reduce boarding gate delays” but there is a strict limit of 95 passengers per flight that are able to purchase priority boarding meaning that up to 94 passengers could be forced to pay a hold baggage fee if they want to bring a normal size bag.
The Irish budget airline claims that 60% of its passengers will be unaffected by the new rules as 30% already pay for priority boarding and 30% travel with just a small bag, although if you travelling for more than 1 day then it would be almost impossible to avoid paying the extra fees.
Ryanair does say that it has increased the size restrictions on a small bag to 42 x 20 x 30 cm but if your bag doesn’t meet the new regulations then you will face a fee of £25 at the airport and the bag will be placed in the hold.
Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said: “From November 2018, we are introducing a new lower cost 10kg checked bag and changing our carry-on bag policy to eliminate boarding/flight delays. Priority Boarding customers will continue to enjoy two free carry-on bags. All other (non-priority) customers will be allowed one free (small) carry-on bag, and those who wish to check in a second bigger 10kg bag can do from €/£8 at the time of booking.
This new policy will speed up the boarding and cut flight delays. 60% of customers will be unaffected by these changes and we expect that the other 40% will either choose to buy Priority Boarding or a 10kg check bag or will choose to travel with only one (free) small bag as 30% already do so today.”
