Airport gate staff have issued a stark warning to passengers, advising them to never use a specific type of suitcase when flying with Ryanair to avoid a hefty £46 fine. This caution comes after a horrified passenger witnessed strict enforcement of the airline's cabin bag regulations at Birmingham Airport, where no fewer than twelve travellers were forced to pay the penalty while boarding.
Bank Holiday Baggage Blunder
Journalist Emily Chaplin, who was flying from Birmingham Airport with Ryanair, reported that she had never witnessed such strict enforcement of this rule before, despite having travelled with the airline multiple times. The incident occurred on a May Bank Holiday Monday, a day when many Britons were embarking on getaways.
Initially, things seemed promising as Chaplin breezed through security in a mere 45 minutes, a welcome relief after hearing tales of three-hour queues and missed flights. However, upon reaching the gate, a lengthy queue and visible commotion hinted at trouble ahead.
The Measuring Box Drama
A secondary mini-queue had formed behind a blue metal measuring crate at the passport check desk. Here, a woman was frantically attempting to stuff her overflowing backpack into the top section. My heart dropped, Chaplin recalled, as it became clear that every other passenger was being pulled aside to verify if their bag complied with Ryanair's stringent 40x20x25cm size restrictions.
One passenger in front presented her passport and boarding pass, only to be asked to fit her clearly oversized suitcase into the measuring box sideways. It was a futile attempt. You'll have to pay £46 to bring the bag on board, the Ryanair employee informed her. When the passenger argued, But I was allowed this last time I flew with Ryanair, the staff member retorted, It's just Ryanair policy, her monotone voice suggesting she'd repeated the line countless times that day.
Creative Avoidance and Costly Mistakes
In the fifteen minutes before boarding, Chaplin observed numerous others having their luggage measured. Twelve passengers ultimately had to cough up additional fees. One woman, burdened with an overstuffed backpack, resorted to removing clothes and layering them onto her outfit to reduce the bag's size. Her strategy worked, and she proceeded without extra charges.
Another group wearing Girls' Trip - Tenerife 2024 t-shirts tried to dispute the fee. From eavesdropping, it appeared they had added the baggage option to their return flight but overlooked it for the outbound one. They ended up paying nonetheless. Chaplin sympathised, noting that a simple blunder had made a significant hole in their holiday budget and cast a shadow over the start of their journey.
Proactive Packing Advice
Chaplin, who had purchased a perfectly-sized backpack from Amazon to avoid extra fees, emphasised that this common blunder could have been easily avoided. She is uncertain whether Ryanair is tightening its luggage regulations universally or if her encounter was an isolated incident, but advises travellers to bear it in mind.
For those who find packing light a challenge, it starts from £6 to add a larger cabin bag and upgrade to Priority Boarding when booking. This small upfront cost could save a cool 40 quid compared to the £46 fine, making it a worthwhile consideration for future trips.
The strict enforcement at Birmingham Airport serves as a timely reminder for all passengers to double-check Ryanair's cabin bag policies before travelling, ensuring a smoother and more cost-effective start to their holidays.
