A passenger flying with Ryanair faced a £75 charge when her suitcase exceeded the airline’s bag sizer dimensions, despite paying extra for onboard luggage. The incident happened to Gilly Bachelor on a flight from Birmingham Airport to Malaga, Spain, where she was stopped at the boarding gate.
Even though Gilly had purchased priority boarding and two cabin bags, she was told she couldn’t bring her bag onboard. Consequently, she was levied an extra £75 fee, on top of the £125 flight fare, in what she described as a stressful situation.
Speaking to Luxury Travel Daily, Gilly, a resident of Brewood near Cannock, Staffs, mentioned, “I’ve never had an issue carrying that bag on other flights, just not with Ryanair.” She explained that her bag was flagged due to its wheels being slightly too wide, catching her off guard despite her frequent travels.
Gilly, who runs a travel agency, claimed that a Ryanair staff member inspected each passenger’s bag at the boarding gate, identifying over 20 passengers who were fined for oversized luggage. She noted, “Ryanair operates on thin profit margins and looks to generate extra revenue where possible.”
She also stated that Ryanair staff receive incentives for identifying oversized bags, although the amount is minimal. Despite the criticism, Gilly emphasized the importance of adhering to the airline’s luggage rules to avoid fines and advised passengers to ensure their bags meet the size requirements.
Ryanair has been approached by The Mirror for a response regarding the incident.