Ryanair raises fears of hand luggage fee

AIR passengers could face charges for hand luggage after Ryanair warned it may have to review its baggage policy again.

In January the budget airline began insisting on larger items such as small wheelie suitcases being put into the hold free of charge at the boarding gate unless passengers had paid for priority boarding.

Small items like handbags and laptops could still go in the cabin.

Ryanair says the change had cut delays caused by squeezing larger bags into overhead lockers – but it was losing the firm £45million a year in fees. Now boss Michael O’Leary says there is too much pressure on baggage handlers at busy periods.

‘We’re now having to put 100, 120 gate bags free of charge into the hold, so if that continues to build, it’s something we may have to look at again,’ he said.

His words raised fears that Ryanair may start levying a fee to check in larger cabin bags at the desk.