SHORT SUMMARY: Ryanair penalising passengers who choose to holiday over the summer time
Full Article is below
Login to remove this Notice at the start of all News articles
|
FREE MONTHLY DRAWS for PRIZES
for EuropeanIrish Members
 
Registration is FREE, QUICK and EASY to do.
Never Miss an Upcoming Irish Event nearby again
YOUR FREE NEWSLETTER
|
FULL NEWS ARTICLE:
1 July marked the first day of Ryanair's increased luggage charges, penalising passengers who choose to holiday over the summer time.
Ryanair's usual charge of £15 each way per checked in bag will be increased to £20 for the months of July and August. And failing to declare the bag online at check in will see airport bag check in fees rising from £35 to £40 each way.
Based on research across 12 of the UK and Ireland's popular airlines, Ryanair already has the lowest default hold luggage allowance of only 15kgs - 8kgs less than British Airways, so hardly great value for those wanting to check a bag in during the popular family travel period.
Interestingly, Ryanair has also this week launched a "Ryanair approved Samsonite cabin bag" costing £69/79euros aimed to encourage passengers to travel hand luggage only. Whilst this is an attractive price for Samsonite luggage, travellers have to opt out of the bag option or run the risk of ordering one by mistake as it is part of the main booking process for a flight.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert from www.travelsupermarket.com, said: "What we take on holiday is sometimes as important as where we go particularly if you have a family. And where you go obviously has a huge impact on what needs to be packed. Baggage is a huge factor for Ryanair which is constantly trying to encourage passengers to travel light by levying ever increasing exhorbitant baggage charges. Many of these passengers have no option but Ryanair on their chosen departure point or destination and these summer rises are a cynical stab into the family budget.
"As for the approved cabin bag, it will be interesting to see whether this is the thin edge of a future ploy to buy Ryanair approved hand baggage or pay for the priviledge of taking your own hand luggage at inflated rates. There are many other bag options available on the market that fit the dimensions allowed on board and at a fraction of the price Ryanair are charging for their 'approved' bag. The bag does not represent great value for money and whilst it may be 'approved', if it goes over 10kg it will be placed in the hold and an eye watering fee of £35 will be prised from you for the priviledge."
- Know your limits - don't go over your weight and dimensions limits - airlines will look for bags that are over and charge a fee to check them in
- Buy the right bag - soft bag with no frame to ensure that it can squash into the hand luggage gauges at the gate
- Only pack what you need - be ruthless and cut out items you are not really going to use
- Packing techniques - pack items using rolling, folding or bundling to maximise use of space
- Which clothes? - wear all the heavy items such as jeans, coats and boots and pack the lighter ones. Check the weather for where you are going and the activities you are planning to take part in - only pack for those
- Toiletries - pack miniatures decanted from larger bottles, there is a limit of 1 litre in liquids in bottles of no more than 100ml presented to security in a clear bag
- Pockets - use your coat, jacket and trouser pockets to stuff them with heavy items and gadgets. Wear this to get passed check in and the gate them place them all into your bag once you get on board
- Phones/Ipods/LapTops/Cameras/NoteBooks/Magazines/Books - minimise what you need to take with you. With chargers, electronic items add up in weight and guide books can be replaced by photocopying key pages or printing from the internet. Carr books and magazines in your hands
- Don't Pool Your Hand Luggage - most airlines won't allow it so be careful with this - no one bag can exceed the limit
- Be careful in the airport shops - some airlines insist that the purchase fit into your hand luggage - not be an extra allowed bag. - So your VAT free or duty free saving can end up costing you a checked bag fee of up to £35.
So which airlines have the most generous baggage allowances?
Hand luggage Top Ten**
= 1 easyJet
= 1 British Airways
3 bmi
= 4 Aer Lingus
= 4 Ryanair
= 4 Jet2
7 Monarch
8 bmibaby
9 Flybe
10 Virgin Atlantic
11 Thomson (Flight only)
12 Thomas Cook (Flight only)
Hold luggage Top Ten**
=1 British Airways
= 1 Virgin Atlantic
3 BMI
4 Jet 2
5 Thomson
6 flybe
7 easyJet
8 Monarch
9 Aer Lingus
10 Thomas Cook
11 bmibaby
12 Ryanair
Hand luggage allowances
|
Rank
|
Airline
|
Hand luggage weight allowance
|
Hand Baggage size
|
Volume cm squared
|
|
=1
|
easyJet
|
No limit but must be able to lift into the overhead locker unaided.
|
56cm x 45cm x 25cm
|
63000
|
|
=1
|
British Airways
|
No limit but must be able to lift into the overhead locker unaided. Pax may take one bag plus either a handbag or a laptop bag
|
56cm x 45cm x 25cm
|
63000
|
|
3
|
bmi
|
No limit but must be able to lift into the overhead locker unaided. Pax may take one bag plus either a handbag or a laptop bag
|
55cm x 40cm x 23cm
|
50600
|
|
=4
|
Aer Lingus
|
10kg
|
56cm x 45cm x 25cm
|
63000
|
|
=4
|
Ryanair
|
10 kg in one bag
|
55cm x 40cm x 20cm
|
63000
|
|
=4
|
Jet2
|
10 kg in one bag
|
56cm x 45cm x 25cm
|
63000
|
|
7
|
Monarch
|
10 kg
|
56cm x 45cm x 25cm
|
56000
|
|
8
|
bmibaby
|
10 kg
|
55cm x 40cm x 20cm
|
44000
|
|
9
|
Flybe
|
10 kg
|
50cm x 35cm x 23cm
|
40250
|
|
10
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
One piece up to 6kg plus a handbag
|
56cm x 36cm x 23cm
|
46368
|
|
11
|
Thomson
(Flight Only)
|
5 kg
|
55cm x 40cm x 20cm
|
44000
|
|
12
|
Thomas Cook
(Flight only)
|
5 kg
|
43cm x 28cm x 23cm
|
27692
|
Hold luggage allowances
|
Rank
|
Airline
|
Economy Bag
Allowance 1 bag
|
Cost of 1 bag
Pre-booked
|
Max Number of
Hold Bags allowed
|
Pooling of Hold Bag
Allowance allowed?
|
|
=1
|
British Airways
|
23kg
|
FREE
|
Varies by route - minimum is one bag. Maximum is 5 - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
=1
|
Virgin Atlantic
|
23kg
|
FREE
|
Varies by route - minimum is one bag. Maximum is 5 - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
3
|
BMI
|
20kg
|
FREE
|
Unlimited - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
4
|
Jet 2
|
22kg
|
from £7.99 to £15.99 one way - varies by route
|
Up to 3 per passenger - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
5
|
Thomson
|
20kg
|
from £8 to £15 one way - varies by route
|
5 per passenger - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
Yes
|
|
6
|
Flybe
|
20kg
|
£8.99 one way
|
Up to 3 per passenger - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
7
|
easyJet
|
20kg
|
£9 one way
|
Up to 8 per passenger - different charges apply for 2ns and extra bags
|
No
|
|
8
|
Monarch
|
20kg
|
£9.99 to £15.99 one way varies by route
|
Up to 5 per passenger - different charges apply for 2nd and extra bags
|
Yes
|
|
9
|
Aer Lingus
|
20kg
|
£10 or £12 each way
|
3 bas up to the 20kg limit
|
No
|
|
10
|
Thomas Cook
|
20kg
|
Short haul £10 one way Long haul £17.50 one way
|
1 per passenger
|
No
|
|
11
|
BMI baby
|
18kg
|
from £12.99 to £14.99 one way - varies by route
|
Up to 5 per passenger for the 18kg weight limit
|
Yes (up to 18kg per person)
|
|
12
|
Ryanair
|
15kg
|
£15 one way (apart from July and August 2010 - £20 one way) N.B.You can also book a bag to weigh up to 20kg - cost £25 one way - £30 July - August
|
Up to 2 per passenger. 2nd bag costs more
|
No
|
|
