Ryanair Staff May Soon Have Reason To Fine Big Bags Harder

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Budget airline Ryanair, like other airlines, is notoriously strict about the size of bags you can bring with you on holiday.

And speaking to The Times recently, boss Michael O’Leary seems to have given his staff a reason to hit passengers harder with fees.

He told the publication he’s planning to increase bonuses for staff members who identify and fine people carrying oversized luggage.

At the moment, he said, the number of passengers found to be bringing too much baggage to the airport has fallen significantly, leading to a drop in corresponding fines.

How much do Ryanair staff get paid for fining oversized bags?

At the moment, O’Leary said, his staff get paid €2.50 (about £2.16 as of the time of writing) for every oversized bag they fine. He wants to raise that by a euro (about 87p) for successful spotters.

“The number of outsized bags is falling from, I don’t know, 0.0001[%] to 0.00001[%],” the controversial businessman said.

“As the numbers fall, I think we will up the rate of commission, from €2.50 to €3.50 or so. Everybody must know, do not show up with a bag that doesn’t fit in the sizer because you will be charged.”

At the moment, Ryanair’s site reads, passengers who “bring an oversize [check-in] bag (over 55x40x20cm) to the boarding gate will either have their bag refused or, where available, placed in the hold of the aircraft for a fee of £/€ 70.00 [or] £/€ 75.00”.

That means staff currently receive just over 3% of the highest total fine in commission. The proposed change would raise their commission to over 4.5%.

How can I beat Ryanair baggage fines?

Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, Hannah Mayfield, a money expert with travel insurance company PayingTooMuch, said, “Even if your bag looks like it fits, you could still get fined due to technicalities. Some airlines count weight as well as dimensions, while others impose last-minute gate checks – especially on full flights.

“I’ve even seen recent cases where passengers have been charged because the wheels or handles of their suitcase are slightly over the size restrictions.”

To lower your odds of getting caught out, she advised: “the best way to avoid unforeseen fines is to stay informed about your airline’s baggage rules and measure your luggage before you travel”.

Ryanair’s rules for 20kg check-in bags are:

Dimensions should be no greater than 55x40x20cm, Weight should be no more than 20kg.

Their rules for 23kg check-in bags are:

Dimensions should be no greater than 80x120x120cm,Weight should be no more than 23kg.

Their rules for 10kg check-in bags are:

That these need to be purchased separately at checkout if you haven’t bought a Priority ticket: otherwise, you can pay €/£35.99-€/£40 in the airport for them,Weight should be no more than 10kg, Dimensions should be no greater than 55x40x20cm.

Their rules for personal bags are:

Dimensions should be no bigger than 40x30x20cm, The bag should fit under the seat in front of you on the plane.