Hand Baggage Size Strictly Enforced

TrimLad

Hi,

I know that the hand baggage size on Ryanair and Aer Lingus is 55 x 40 x 20cm but I was wondering if this is strictly enforced. Has anyone had any problems with slightly over size bags.

Thanks

testicle

You may not have a problem going out, but you will coming back.

vinny_963

i think pretty much once you're through security you wont have a problem

number10a

The whole "getting through security and then you're safe" thing doesn't work anymore. Ryanair are like baggage Nazis at the boarding gates now. The staff are on commission for any fees they haul in, so if your bag doesn't fit in the metal frame at the gate, it goes underneath at the bargain basement price of €35. And remember that it's a strict one-bag policy. Even your duty-free purchases, umbrella, laptop, handbag (everything basically) have to go into your hand luggage

Aer Lingus are not so Naziesque in their dealing with hand baggage, but don't go saying "Well number10a on boards told me it would be fine" if they catch you.

scudzilla

vinny_963 wrote: »

i think pretty much once you're through security you wont have a problem

Not the case in Madrid, go through security, then when you're queuing to get on the ryanair plane the stewardess makes ya put yer bag into the size thing, one woman squeezed and pushed hers in, but couldn't get it out

TrimLad

Thaks folks for your replies.
I suspected that things might be as you say number10a.
I notice that the thickness of the bags has been reduced to 20cm. I would perfer to spend the money on a bag than give it to Ryanair.

sudzs

Recently witnessed panic at the Ryanair gate in Malaga with people having to jam their handbags into their small cases and then they wouldn't fit in that cage thing. Panic I tell ya!! :eek:

robinph

Ryanair have not been caught for this, it's BMI, but worth keeping an eye out for different sized cages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11251927

The Gride

Never have any problems at Dublin or Shannon Airport but have been checked on numerous occasions on return flights by Ryanair only. I think the staff carrying out these checks maybe on commission for any successful detections.

dory

On every flight I've been on recently they've been very strict. Just wear all your clothes, including a big jacket with massive pockets. They can't charge you for being fat.

mobby

dory wrote: »

On every flight I've been on recently they've been very strict. Just wear all your clothes, including a big jacket with massive pockets. They can't charge you for being fat.

Give them time.;)

flikflak

Follow the rules and you will be fine.

Go through with a "ah I `ll chance it" attitude then dont kick off at the staff and be suprised to have to pay extra at the gate.

I dont know why this question keeps coming up - they tell you what you are allowed and if you stick to this then there is no problem. Why are people always looking for a way round it or asking if they enforce it. The airline you choose to fly with can make their own rules about what they will and wont allow and if you choose to fly with them then make sure you know what are are allowed.

If you dont mind having to pull out 40 quid or whatever it is nowadays at the gate then chance it but dont be holding up my flight arguing with the staff about the size of your bag when you know its bigger than the limits. Just admit it and pay up.

finbarrk

Yeah, pay the money and don't be holding everybody else up at the boarding gate with an oversized bag.
I was on 3 Ryanair flights and one Wizzair flight this week and the only one that hand baggage wasn't checked for size was the Ryanair Stansted - Shannon one at night time.

Columbia

Yes, Ryanair do tend to enforce the baggage limits. A friend of mine was flying back from London a while back, and was asked to put her bag in the gauge. She did so, and it fit, but she was told that because she had had to push it down, that it didn't count, and they did charge her the £35 or whatever it is.

another native

It was strictly enforced on last night's Aer Lingus flight from Barcelona's El Prat Airport. Looks like the era of lax enforcement is coming to an end!

Cakes.

We used a football bag going to Tenerife and didn't put a base in it so it could just be squashed into the measuring box thing.

piskins72

every airport I have been at in the last while, all the bags have been checked at either security and/or gate boarding for size, some people do chance it, but all the ones I have seen who thought they would get away with it were all pulled and had to pay the baggage hold charge.

zagmund

To whoever it was who said "just do as they say and it will be alright" . . . see the post above from the person who had to pay even though their bag *did fit* into the cage.

We make sure these days to have bags that are within the dimensions but it makes the eyes water to see some of the people getting on flights these days with clearly over-stuffed, over-weight bags and them being hauled up as they think they are just about on the plane.

Came home from Luton last night and they pulled some granny aside because she couldn't physically squash her bag into the cage. It's not like her bag was big or heavy or dangerous. Meanwhile I had Leinster flags sticking out of my bags which made them a) dangerous and b) over-size.

On the way out the Ryanair flight was about an hour late and so they had us all security checked and waiting in the stairwell, ready to go as soon as possible. We ended up the last people to get through before the stairwell filled up (health and safety, hellooo . . .) and so were standing beside the desk. After a few minutes of waiting the Ryanair person obviously got bored and said "here, put your bag in there" to Mrs Zag. It just seemed so pointless - you could see the bag was within dimensions without even thinking about it.

By the way, I don't think I've ever seen carry on being weighed in Dublin other than at the check-in desks so if you have checked in online as Ryanair want you to then chances are your bag won't be weighed. However, I've had bags weighed on the way home to Dublin at a few European airports.

Here's Zags #1 tip to get through with over-size carry-on bags which I picked up thanks to someone else here on Boards. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. When they call your flight and *everyone* else has boarded and they are looking through all the boarding cards and totting up numbers and making the call for the last people to board *then* head up to the desk. They will be so relieved that they have found their last passenger and they can get away on schedule that they are unlikely to start sizing up your bag. They will just shuffle you on the plane, close the door and give the pilot the thumbs up. Note, this may not work in the real world, but it sounds very plausible to me.

z

Stinicker

zagmund wrote: »

Here's Zags #1 tip to get through with over-size carry-on bags which I picked up thanks to someone else here on Boards. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. When they call your flight and *everyone* else has boarded and they are looking through all the boarding cards and totting up numbers and making the call for the last people to board *then* head up to the desk. They will be so relieved that they have found their last passenger and they can get away on schedule that they are unlikely to start sizing up your bag. They will just shuffle you on the plane, close the door and give the pilot the thumbs up. Note, this may not work in the real world, but it sounds very plausible to me.

z

Sounds like a great way to miss your flight if you ask me. Last time I flew cattle class with them I had a brainwave before I went and took a few of those spacesavers vacuum bags and packed my belongings and recently bought clothes into it and got the hotel maids hoover to tidy them up, I reduced space by about 66% and allowed me to bring almost 13kgs in my tiny carry on! Ok some of the clothes got wrinkled but I saved space and stayed within the limits and saved €30 on the checked luggage charge.