Millions of people take advantage of Ryanair’s low-cost flights every year, with many falling foul of the airline’s baggage policies
Gilly Bachelor says she hasn’t had the same problem on other airlines(Image: Jam Press)
A Ryanair passenger has claimed she’s been hit with a £75 after the wheels of her suitcase poked out of the airline’s bag sizer despite having paid extra to bring it on board.
The incident occurred when Gilly Bachelor was flying from Birmingham Airport to Malaga in Spain and was halted at the boarding gate.
The 55-year-old expressed that she was informed she couldn’t carry the bag onboard even though she had paid for both priority and two cabin bags options. Gilly alleges that she was charged an additional £75 to bring the bag onboard, over and above the £125 flight cost, during this “stressful” encounter.
“I’ve taken that bag on lots of flights with no problem, just not Ryanair,” Gilly, hailing from Brewood, near Cannock, Staffs, shared with Luxury Travel Daily.
“As we were boarding, a gentleman was checking all the bags. They put it in the sizer, and the issue was with the wheels, and that it was slightly too wide. I travel a lot myself, so I’m usually pretty relaxed, and clearly this caught me out this time.”
Gilly, who owns a travel agency, alleges that a staff member was inspecting every bag as passengers boarded the plane, with at least 20 being singled out and fined. She added: “Ryanair is a very low-cost airline, so they operate to tight margins and will generate extra revenue wherever they can.
“I also heard that Ryanair staff receive an incentive for every bag they flag as oversized.
“I checked, and it’s true, but it’s only a small portion of the fine.
“Even so, it’s clearly enough to keep staff vigilant and enforce the rules strictly.
“At least 20 people were caught out.
“Ryanair gets a lot of criticism, but the rules are clear and easy to follow.
“I used them outbound because the timing worked, but flew home with easyJet and my bag was fully compliant, as it would have been with Jet2.”
Gilly offered some advice: “My advice is to check the size rules carefully and invest in a compliant bag. It’s much less stressful than being caught at the gate and paying a fine.”
Ryanair has been contacted by The Mirror for a statement.