Ryanair and baggage charges

Our man in Havana

I booked my parents in law a return flight DUB-STN last week which was for yesterday. I paid online for baggage, one bag.

I was under the understanding that the limit was 20KG, their case was 20.5kg and they charged him €40! Now the case itself is little bulky.It is one of those big plastic type cases you would take the kitchen in, it would also double as a small boat. Does Ryanair have rules regarding the size of baggage?

Now Its says that excess baggage is charged at €8 a kilo, even being petty over 500g would amount to €8 max.

Is there anyway to get them to refund, do they issue receipts for these excess charges?

Dingatron

From their website:

Checked Baggage Allowance:

A Baggage Fee is charged for the carriage of each item of Checked Baggage. The Baggage Fee may be prepaid at the current discounted rate of £2.50/€3.50 (€4.50/£3.50 from 1st September 2006 onwards) per item of baggage /per one way flight when making your reservation. If the Baggage Fee is paid at the airport, the full rate of £5/€7 (£7/€10 from the 1st September 2006 onwards) per item of baggage/per one way flight is charged. Baby buggies, wheelchairs, scooters and walking frames are carried free of charge.

The Checked Baggage allowance is 20kg per person (15kg per person for all passengers travelling from the 1st November 2006 onwards). There is no baggage allowance for infants, although a pram/buggy will be carried free of charge. Each Passenger may check-in up to five items of checked baggage, up to the checked baggage allowance per person (a Baggage Fee is charged for each item of checked baggage).

For health and safety reasons Ryanair will not accept any individual item exceeding 32 kilos and with combined dimensions of more than 81cms height, 119cms wide and 119cms depth. This weight limit does not apply to mobility equipment.

>> To me it looks like they used the new rates which would mean he was 5kg over 5kg X €8=€40 excess. You may have a case but good luck getting money back from ryanair.

eachtrannach

As to size see Ryanair's website:

For health and safety reasons Ryanair will not accept any individual item exceeding 32 kilos and with combined dimensions of more than 81cms height, 119cms wide and 119cms depth. This weight limit does not apply to mobility equipment.

As to the excess charge ... too much, unless you booked before March 16th.
As to receipts - do your parents have one? If no ...

If you have booked under current conditions (post March16), the excess baggage was overcharged and should be refunded. Note that Ryanair seem to have a policy for such refunds that make them uneconomical for customers ... you seem to pay more in "refund fees" then you get back sometimes. (Off the top of my head ...)

therecklessone

Bond-007 wrote:

Is there anyway to get them to refund, do they issue receipts for these excess charges?

If he didn't get a receipt it might be difficult to get anything from them.

They have overcharged him regardless, and any attempt by them to charge an admin fee to process your claim should be resisted. Mention the Small Claims Court, that might clear things up quickly. Best of luck.

blorg

_Before_ Ryanair introduced the charges for bags, their baggage allowance was 15kg. Then with the charges they put it up to 20kg (and it seems they are putting it back down again in November.) So I suspect it was someone still applying the "old" baggage allowance rather than the "new" one coming in November. The baggage allowance is clearly explained on your itinerary email, so I would use that in trying to get a refund out of them. It sounds like their mistake but you will have to check your itinerary email; it relates to your booking date.

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES ** THE BAGGAGE POLICY THAT APPLIES TO YOUR RESERVATION WILL DEPEND ON THE DATE YOU MADE YOUR ORIGINAL BOOKING.

************************************************************
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE POLICY FOR ALL NEW FLIGHTS BOOKED FROM THE 16TH MARCH 2006 ONWARDS
***********************************************************
The checked baggage allowance is 20kg per person (no infant allowance) No pooling/sharing of baggage allowances is permitted, even when passengers are travelling together on the same reservation.

Customers wishing to check baggage into the hold of the aircraft must pay a Baggage Fee for each item of checked baggage. This Baggage Fee can be prepaid up to 4 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure at the discounted price of GBP2.50/€3.50 per bag, per flight, by contacting your local Ryanair reservation centre (subject to reservation centre opening hours). Alternatively, the Baggage Fee can be paid at the airport, at the full rate of GBP5.00/€7.00 per bag, per flight.

Any checked baggage above 20kg per passenger will be charged at GBP5.50/EUR8.00 per kilo.

*SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION REGARDING HAND/CABIN BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES AND THE CARRIAGE OF MOBILITY EQUIPMENT (WHEELCHAIRS, BUGGIES, PRAMS ETC.)*
**************************************************************
BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE POLICY FOR FLIGHTS THAT WERE BOOKED BEFORE THE 16TH MARCH
2006
(regardless of the future travel date):
*************************************************************
The checked baggage allowance is 15kg per person (no infant allowance) No pooling/sharing of baggage allowances is permitted, even when passengers are travelling together on the same reservation.

Any checked baggage above 15kg per passenger will be charged at GBP5.50/EUR8.00 per kilo.