Ryanair cuts cabin bag allowance and changes checked-in baggage policy!

Ryanair passengers without priority boarding will no longer be able to take two pieces of luggage into the cabin.

The Irish airline has just adjusted baggage allowance. According to a new cabin luggage policy, customers can only bring small hand bag (35cm x 20cm x 20cm) on board, unless they pay £5/€5 for Priority Boarding. They would have to put a second piece of hand luggage (55cm x 40cm x 20cm) in the hold free of charge at the boarding gate. The low cost carrier says passengers are bringing on board too much luggage to make it sustainable. Only Flexi Plus, Plus, Family Plus and Priority Boarding customers who have paid extra will be allowed two carry-on bags from November 1.

At the same time the budget airline is lowering checked-in baggage fees from £35 to £25 to encourage passengers to check in more luggage. The checked baggage weight is rising from 15kg to 20kg.

These bag policy changes will cost Ryanair over €50m (£46m) per annum in reduced checked bag fees. However, we believe offering bigger bags at reduced fees will encourage more customers to consider checking-in a bag, which will reduce the high volume of customers we have with two carry-on bags at the boarding gates, said Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer.