Family slept on airport f loor as bag was 2cm too big for Ryanair
A MOTHER and daughter slept on the floor of an airport after Ryanair rejected their hand luggage for being 2cm too big.
Tania Alston, 51, and Malaika AlstonEkpei, 12, found themselves at the sharp end of the budget carrier’s baggage policy as they attempted to fly home from Alicante in Spain.
Initially, Malaika’s bag was found to be too large for the cabin – but when her mother tried to reduce its size by switching items into her luggage, that was also found to be oversize.
Ryanair demanded a fee of £100 to put both bags in the hold but Miss Alston, a teacher, was not being paid until the next day and could not pay the bill.
It cost £385 to fly home the following morning with Jet2, which allows larger cabin bags. Miss Alston, who accused Ryanair of acting ‘with no compassion’, said: ‘What puzzles me is my case was visibly bigger than my daughter’s and yet they initially let me through with no problems. It seems arbitrary.’
She had flown out with Spanish carrier Vueling, which has the same baggage requirements as Ryanair.
A Ryanair spokesman said: ‘These customers’ bags exceeded our maximum cabin bag dimensions and they were given the option of checking the bags into the hold, but refused to do so and did not board the aircraft.
‘ We have repeatedly urged our customers to comply with our cabin bag rules.’