Ryanair has cleared the air after announcing rule changes and new procedures that passengers will have to face on their next flights. This includes some price changes for larger cabin bags.
The update has sparked some criticism from former customers claiming the airline has been secretly shrinking their allowances – so much so that the firm looked into it. Yet don’t be alarmed – Ryanair say this is completely untrue.
Specifically, some passengers have been incorrectly claiming Ryanair made the metal structures that measure carry-on bags at departure gates smaller. Due to the airline’s baggage charges, if your carry-on is deemed overweight at the departure gate this can lead to a hefty fine of up to £60 to allow you to take it on board.
Other criticisms Ryanair entirely rejetcs say new rule changes have suddenly altered the size of cabin bags that people are allowed to carry onboard without properly notifying customers. Ryanair’s head of marketing, Jade Kirwan, assured Cork Beo that hand luggage dimensions have been consistent for the last decade.
She insisted: “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. 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.”
Jade jokingly noted passengers can see for themselves next time they fly that the sizers have not changed. She shared: “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!”
Ryainair’s current hand luggage policy allows a small bag free of charge provided that it fits the dimensions 40x20x25cm and can fit under the seat in front of you. Passengers can also add in extra hand luggage when booking their ticket, upping their cost to £30 for a larger cabin bag or £25 to check in a 10kg bag.
While the cabin bag allowances haven’t changed, there are some new things in play with the budget airline including an updated fee structure for checking in an overweight cabin bag at the departure gates. Customers who upgrade their tickets to Priority when they first book, which includes a 10kg suitcase, can vary between £6 and £36 but doing this at the departure gate came at a greater cost.
This used to be between £20 and £38, according to Birmingham Live, but was recently uprated to between £20 and £60. A representative explained to the outlet that passengers can still check-in their 10kg bags at the bag drop desk for £35.99 and that these new rates apply to those who want to carry their bags onboard or check-in their 10kg bag at the boarding gate.
Among the bigger changes expected in the coming months is a complete shift to online and on-app boarding. The CEO Michael O’Leary announced at a Dublin press event that they have plans to become completely electronic from next spring. This would see ticket desks completely done away with as the businessman declared: “Nothing will be done on paper any more.”