My family and I will be flying with Ryanair twice on our upcoming trip. I have purchased the "Family Plus" which allows us each 2 cabin bags (as well as 2 total checked bags). As I understand it, that is one for the overhead and one for under the seat. My concern is for the allowable dimensions. Our overhead bags are a few centimeters bigger than the listed allowable dimensions. Does anyone have any experience with how strictly enforced those limits are?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Ryanair is dead serious about their luggage requirements. They made a ton of money from fees associated with their restrictions and it not just luggage -- it is check in -- everything. They are cheap and you have to follow every regulation to the letter. Sorry but that is way I prefer other discount airlines.
Posted by
Tucson
4183 posts
I flew Ryanair from Porto to Barcelona on June 14th with a Plus ticket. They have a sizer for both the underseat bag and the carry-on.
If your carry-ons are mushy and not stuffed with so much that they bulge, you might be okay. Measuring them completely accurately is nearly impossible. The gate agents eyeball the bags and require sizer checks if they're not sure. If you don't pass the eyeball or sizer check, you may be forced to gate check them. I don't know if you can gate check with your Plus tickets without an extra fee.
I did see many people pulled to the front with oversized roller bags and credit cards out. As I'm sure you know, the super cheap flight prices only allow an underseat personal item. Anyone who had a 2nd bag had to check the larger of the 2. I think the fee when that happens is 50€ or 50£ per bag.
I was more concerned about weight than size, since I'm traveling with an international bag. I was okay on both size and weight, but be aware that the overhead bins seemed smaller than usual, and even my bag was a tight fit.
These are the rules I followed except that I didn't check any bag.
Ryan Air:
Plus ticket.
2 cabin bags and 1 checked bag.
• 1 personal item 40x20x25 cm, 15.7x7.9x9.8 in.
• 1 overhead bin, 10kg, 22 lbs.
• 1 20 kg, 44 lbs checked bag.
Also, I found the seats to be the most uncomfortable seats I have ever experienced on any plane anytime anywhere. I hope your flight is short.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8056 posts
They clearly list the requirements and they check. Do not overlook the weight as well, and when they state something, they mean it. The two cabin items mean just that, not an overhead bag, an overstuffed day pack and a laptop bag or purse...just two items.
Many are used to US airlines where they have requirements and do not enforce, they do, as do most all European Budget airlines
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
And they kid you not.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
I've found the budget European airlines are spotty on enforcing bags. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they're looking to make a passenger in line an example.
One tried to get me 2 weeks ago leaving Paris as my 21" bag with the wheels is actually 22" tall. I took up so much of his time and even put the bag in the rack--that he let us pass on through. I'd already flown 3 flight legs so I knew the carry on would fit into the overhead of any airplane. But he wasn't concerned about the 1 kg. over regulation on the weight.
Posted by
Paris
10193 posts
David, was your experience on RyanAir?