Ryanair’s new bag policy from November will cut check bag fees & reduce boarding delays
Ryanair announced last week plans to cut check bag fees by introducing a lower cost €/£8 x10kg check bag service (currently €/£25 x20kg) and reduce the volume of free 2nd gate bags which has been causing flight delays, from 1 November next as follows: • Priority Boarding customers (currently 30%) can continue to bring 2 free carry-on bags (1 x 10kg wheelie bag and 1 small bag). • Non-priority customers can only bring 1 free (small) carry-on bag from 1 November. • If non-priority customers want to bring a 2nd bigger (wheelie) bag they can buy a lower cost 10kg check bag for €/£8 at time of booking (currently a 20kg bag costs €/£25). This 10kg wheelie bag must be checked in at the airport bag drop desk. • All customers with checked bags can now switch from the €/£25 x20kg bag to the cheaper €/£8 x10kg checked bag. • The new policy will go live at boarding gates on/after 1 November and for all bookings made on/after 1 September.
60% of Ryanair customers will be unaffected by this bag policy change, since 30% of customers already buy Priority Boarding and 30% already travel with only 1 free (small) carry-on bag. Ryanair expects that of the remaining 40% of (non-priority) customers affected by this new policy, most will either switch to priority boarding or will switch to traveling with 1 free (small) carry-on bag only, and others will buy the lower cost 10kg check bag.
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) carryon 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.”