What a carry-on... airline bag fee chaos soars to new heights

FOR a number of years, Ryanair has allowed passengers to take two carry-on bags into the cabin.

This relatively generous allowance has created a rod for the airline’s own back. When flights are full or nearly full – as is usually the case – there is insufficient space for all the hand luggage. The airline’s planes have 189 seats, but room in the cabin for only 90 large bags.

So some bags have to be put in the hold, a process that slows down boarding and aircraft turnaround times, contributing to flight delays.

Hence the new rules that Ryanair is about to introduce. From January 15, only passengers who have paid extra for priority boarding – £10 on a return flight – will be able to bring two bags into the cabin. Everyone else will be allowed to take one small bag on board, such as a handbag or laptop case. Larger carry-on bags – typically wheelie bags – will have to be handed over at the departure gate; these will travel in the hold (at no additional cost), to be picked up at the baggage carousel.

Many passengers will see this as a big inconvenience and a moneymaking ruse. But Ryanair stresses it’s all to do with minimising flight delays. The airline is also aiming to reduce the number of carry-on bags being taken on to aircraft by persuading more flyers to check in their luggage, using the incentive of lower fees. The standard fee for a checked-in bag has been cut from £35 to £25 per one-way flight, and the weight limit increased from 15kg to 20kg.

Other airlines have also been making changes to their luggage rules to try to cut the number of carry-on bags in cabins. EasyJet is hoping to entice more passengers to check bags in with its introduction of a hold bag allowance with a lower maximum weight (15kg) and price (£9 to £30 each way).

And last summer Jet2.com brought in a charge for the guarantee of your hand luggage travelling in the cabin. The fee – £2.50 per flight – pops up near the end of the online booking process.

On a positive note, in the autumn eastern European low-cost airline Wizz Air scrapped its charge for taking larger carry-on bags into the cabin. However, to guarantee the bag will travel in the cabin instead of ending up in the hold, you have to pay extra for priority boarding (sound familiar?). Wizz Priority also entitles you to carry a second smaller bag on to the plane.

Confused? I’m not surprised. It would be easier if airlines had the same policies, but they vary wildly.

As do weight and size restrictions for carry-on bags. With TUI Airways you’re allowed to take one piece of hand luggage measuring up to 55 x 40 x 20cm and normally weighing no more than 5kg. But with BA you can take two bags, up to 56 x 45 x 25cm and 40 x 30 x 15cm and each weighing up to 23kg.

So check airlines’ luggage rules carefully before booking.