Ryanair, Europe’s biggest low-cost airline, will increase its free cabin baggage allowance “over the coming weeks”.
Ryanair’s current free “personal bag” size is 40 x 25 x 20cm – a volume of 20 litres. Following an agreement among European airlines to adopt a new minimum size for cabin luggage, the carrier has decided to increase one dimension of the bag size from 25 to 30cm. The dimensions will soon be 40 x 30 x 20cm – a volume of 24 litres.
This is larger than the newly announced European minimum bag size of 40 x 30 x 15cm. Had Ryanair aligned with this, it would have meant a cut of 10 per cent in volume. But instead the airline will offer travellers a larger limit. The decision means that anyone with a “Ryanair-compatible” cabin bag will still be able to use it.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “This change will be implemented over the coming weeks, as our airport bag sizers are adjusted.”
The trade body Airlines for Europe (A4E) has been in discussion with the EU transport commissioner in Brussels, Adina Valean, about simplifying life for passengers. Any traveller who buys a bag no bigger than 40 x 30 x 15cm will be guaranteed to be able to take it on board.
Ourania Georgoutsakou, the organisation’s managing director, said: “This will align A4E members with the decision of member states made last month and bring more clarity to passengers across Europe.
“From city-hoppers to family travellers, everyone will benefit from the same clear rule across our members’ networks.”
Almost all the carriers will continue as before. British Airways, Jet2 and easyJet all have allowances that currently exceed the new “standardised” dimensions.
A spokesperson for easyJet confirmed the dimensions will remain the same, at 45 x 36 x 20cm – giving a maximum volume of 32 litres.
MEPs voted last month to mandate all airlines to allow passengers to take two pieces of cabin baggage on board. Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air strongly oppose the move and say it would be unworkable. The airlines believe that reaching an agreement on a minimum size of bag will increase the chance that they will be able to persuade officials not to impose a two-bag limit.
Ryanair earlier said it carried 19.9 million passengers in June, up 3 per cent on a year earlier.
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