London Luton Airport Ltd.

Richard Deakin, a security consultant from Halesowen, West Midlands, has sparked debate after sharing footage on TikTok of his conversation with easyJet staff at Luton Airport

A tourist has accused easyJet of using a “money-making tactic” following a dispute about his baggage.

Footage on social media shows easyJet staff ask Richard Deakin, 37, to repeatedly put his luggage in the sizer as he checked in at Luton Airport. He claimed the suitcase – his hand luggage – fit easily but he said staff continued to ask him to pop it in the sizer. Richard asked a fellow passenger to film him doing so to “prove a point,” a clip he later shared on TikTok where it has been watched by more than 106,000 people.

He feared he was going to miss his flight to Málaga, Spain for his four-night break and became “quite angry” at staff’s insistence. He eventually made the plane, but is now speaking out to encourage people not to simply stump up cash if their luggage is within the dimensions.

The security consultant said: “If I hadn’t been so persistent they would’ve forced me to pay that fine. It’s a money-making tactic. Before I put [the bag] in I was confident it was the right size because I’d measured it and weighed it.”

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OPINION

Milo Boyd

Richard, who is from Halesowen, West Midlands, added: “At first it’s a bit of a struggle pushing it down but then it just slides in and goes all the way down to the bottom.

“It was hard to get in because I had several tubs of gravy granules because in Spain it’s quite expensive. I was quite angry. I did know I could just take a few things out of my bag but I was being a bit pedantic out of principle. If you want to pick on me, I don’t mind having a debate about it.

“After that video was recorded a manager came down and asked me to do it again. This is the bit that really [annoyed] me. I said ‘it’s just been witnessed by six of your staff who said it’s okay and this is the video’. He said ‘I need to see it again’.

“I’d done it once or twice before the video, and [then] two times with managers. It looked like the flight was going to take off and I was scared at that point. The ego got put away in the back pocket really quick. I took the book and the charger pack out and put [the bag] in [the sizer].”

Richard had enough clothing in his bag for the short stay last month but, despite measuring the little bag at home, came into difficulty at check-in. He admitted it was “hard to get in” but claimed it fit clearly in the end.

The security professional added: “So many people wouldn’t have been so persistent and fallen right into the trap. There are people that won’t stand up and talk and ask the question so they’re getting charged.

“While I understand the rules, it’s frustrating to pay for a bag that was underweight and would have been placed in the same overhead locker as everyone else’s.”

The tourist’s social media clip has divided opinion with some criticising him for “yelling” at employees. Some, though, users jumped to Richard’s defence in the comments.

One user wrote: “EasyJet should be ashamed.” Another user commented: “I will avoid EasyJet at all costs. It’s a greedy, uncaring airline. Shame on them.” A third added: “If it fits, it doesn’t matter if it’s easy or not.”

Other users criticised Richard for his demeanour. One user wrote: “Why are you yelling at them?” Another commented: “Why are you shouting at them for doing their jobs?” A third user commented: “That bag is too big. Simple as that.”

An easyJet spokesman said: “We have a well understood bag policy and customers are only charged if their bags are too large, in fairness to customers who have paid to bring larger bags, and we do not tolerate aggressive or threatening behaviour towards our ground crew. Once Mr Deakin was able to fit his bag in the gauge, he was not charged and was able to board.”

A survey conducted by consumer group Which? placed Manchester’s Terminal 3 at the bottom of the list for the fourth consecutive year, with a customer satisfaction score of just 43%

Travellers have delivered their verdict on the UK’s airports – and Manchester has been branded the worst to fly from.

A survey conducted by consumer group Which? placed Manchester’s Terminal 3 at the bottom of the list for the fourth consecutive year, with a customer satisfaction score of just 43%. The terminal received a dismal one-star rating out of a possible five for measures such as security queues, seating, and the pricing in shops and food outlets.

One frustrated Terminal 3 passenger fumed: “It’s impossible to get a drink or something to eat, but much worse than that – there is nowhere to sit.” Manchester’s other two terminals didn’t fare much better in the survey. Terminal 1, which is set to close later this year, was ranked second-worst.

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Another traveller said: “The cleanliness in Terminal 1 is appalling. Toilets are often overflowing, and there’s rubbish everywhere.”

Terminal 2 at Manchester could only muster fourth from bottom, with a customer satisfaction score of 53%, although there was at least some positive feedback. One traveller commended its “good facilities prior to long-haul flight and helpful staff at baggage check-in”.

At the other end of the scale, Exeter Airport topped the list with an overall customer satisfaction score of 80%.

However, Exeter serves around 500,000 passengers annually, compared to 29 million at Manchester or 84 million at Heathrow.

Close behind, with a score of 78%, was Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which now caters to five million passengers each year. Passengers lauded its swift, efficient process and friendly staff.

You can search for your closest airport and check the ratings using our interactive gadget.

Chris Woodroofe, Manchester Airport’s managing director, has hit back at the Which? survey and criticism the airport has received. He said: “Through our historic £1.3 billion transformation programme, we have created a world-class and award-winning Terminal 2. We have also announced plans to invest significantly in Terminal 3 – starting this year.

“I am also proud to say customer satisfaction has increased significantly over the past four years. We know how customers feel about their experience because we asked hundreds of them every week about it. Between January and June this year, 91% of 3,045 people surveyed told us their experience was good, very good, or excellent.

“That is how I know this latest outdated and unrepresentative report from Which? bears no resemblance to the experience people receive at Manchester Airport day in, day out.”

A Gatwick spokesperson added: “In the first half of 2025, passengers received great service, as the airport significantly improved its on-time performance, following excellent collaboration with airline partners and National Air Traffic Services.”

A statement from Heathrow read: “Which? has relied on unrepresentatively small sample sizes and recollections to assess an industry that already collects vast amounts of data on a daily basis, all verified and published by an independent regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority.”

While London Luton Airport’s spokesperson said: “Whilst we value all feedback, a sample size of just 255 Which? readers is simply not representative of the 16.7 million passengers who travelled with us in 2024.”

London Stansted’s spokesperson said it was “proud to have welcomed a record-breaking 30m passengers to the airport in the last year, driven by the great value and reliable service on offer, and convenient access to over 200 destinations across Europe and beyond.”

A woman has claimed she was “unfairly” charged by easyJet when she was travelling from London Luton Airport to Paris – and she said the experience only got worse

Travelling to the airport can be a stressful experience, and it can be even worse when things go wrong. This is exactly what appeared to happen to one woman when her easyJet flight wasn’t what she expected for more than one reason.

Emi, who shares her life on TikTok under the username emilia.petcu, recounted her less-than-pleasant experience travelling from London Luton Airport to Paris. She felt “unfairly” overcharged and described her flight as a “poor experience”, which cast a shadow over her Parisian getaway.

In her video, Emi alleges that easyJet hit her with a £96.00 fee for a backpack she believed complied with the cabin policy and should have fit under the seat. She branded the last-minute charge as “unfair”, despite airlines’ usual reminders to passengers to verify baggage rules before flying.

But the troubles didn’t stop there, as she also claimed the aircraft was dirty, adding to her travel woes. Her post included the caption: “The experience only got worse on board. The airplane was dirty, with poor hygiene and cleanliness conditions.

“The flight was delayed without clear updates.”

Emi documented the journey, which took place on July 24, showing both the bill and the state of the plane. Visuals of crumbs and rubbish strewn around her seating area did little to improve her impression of the airline.

The video has racked up a fair number of views since being posted, sparking a flurry of comments from viewers sharing their diverse opinions and experiences.

One viewer recounted: “This happened to me. I complained to easyJet and they gave me the amount in a voucher.”

Another chimed in with a similar experience, adding: “I had the same thing at Luton.”

A third shared their luggage strategy: “I’ve used the same backpack for the last three to four years with different airlines.”

Meanwhile, another commenter offered straightforward advice: “Follow the rules, no charges – simple.”

Some commenters came to the airline’s defence, offering an alternative viewpoint. One person pointed out: “Please bear in mind the staff have six to eight minutes to clean the plane and, if they are late, it’s 90% of the time not their fault.

“It can be if the plane in front of them was late taking off or landing – it delays others.”

Another person wrote: “Blame the set of passengers for leaving the mess, not the crew. If they were to tidy it, the flight would be delayed and they would get bother from the airline for being late and the passengers too.”

In the video, Emi didn’t showcase her bag, leaving viewers unable to judge its size; she only displayed the receipt given to her by staff upon paying the fee.

easyJet has not commented on this particular case, but the airline did issue a statement regarding its baggage policy. It read: “easyJet’s bag policy is well understood and all customers can bring one small under seat bag for free.

“We provide clear information on bag allowances including dimensions clear when booking, via email before travel and on our boarding passes and our ground handlers check bags to ensure they will fit in the cabin, and in fairness to customers who have paid to bring additional bags.”

In the past year, seven of the UK’s 10 busiest airports have increased the cost of dropping off a loved one before travel – to the point that London Luton is now more expensive than a stay at the Ritz

Drop-off charges at one major UK airport have risen so much it’s more expensive – minute by minute – seeing a loved one off than staying at the Ritz hotel in London.

Most of the UK’s busiest airports have upped the prices of their drop-off zones, commonly known as “kiss and fly” areas, where travellers can say a quick farewell to their loved ones before jetting off. In the past year, seven of the aviation hubs have either increased prices or reduced how long drivers can stay before higher fees are applicable.

Luton Airport currently has the highest per-minute cost the UK’s busiest airports – charging £5 for five minutes before the £1 a minute fare rolls in for a maximum of 20. These prices rose steeply following the renovation of Luton’s drop-off zone after it was torched in a fire in October 2023. Before the fire, it was £5 for 10 minutes followed by the £1-a-minute charge.

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For a deluxe king room at Mayfair’s Ritz hotel, you’d pay £1,149 per night, which works out at around 91p a minute. The airport said the charge helps maintain the flow of passengers and traffic, claiming that the majority of visits are within five minutes. They signposted customers to the mid-stay car park, which is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal.

It tells The Times: “With a £5 fee, the barrierless system keeps passengers and the traffic flowing, with the average time spent in the area well within five minutes. For those with more time, drivers have a range of free and paid-for drop off, pick up and parking options to choose from.”

According to the RAC, these kiss and fly charges are “bordering on the ridiculous”. Rod Dennis from the RAC said: “Drivers will be understandably aghast at the prospect of paying as much as £7 for what amounts to nothing more than opening the boot so a friend or relative can collect their luggage and catch their flight.

“The problem is a lack of practical — and affordable — alternatives for getting to many airports. Faced with the choice of a double-decker bus with lots of luggage, or forking out for a taxi, it’s easy to see why people feel they have no option other than to drive.”

Many of the major airports ask drivers to pay before or after they arrive and late payment charges are issued if a payment isn’t made within 24 hours or by midnight the following day.

Graham Conway from Select Car Leasing, based in Reading, said: “Failingto pay for drop-off parking or exceeding your time limit can really hit you in the wallet. It’s all too easy to forget to log on and to then remember with a sense of dread when it’s too late.”

The rules apply for trips to Spain, Greece, France and other EU countries

London Luton Airport is warning holidaymakers to check their passports now, or risk being turned away from flights. It comes as British travellers heading to EU countries now face different regulations, after Brexit.

An update issued from the airport’s official account on X, formerly Twitter, earlier today reads: “Travelling in the EU? You’ll need to renew your passport if there’s under three months on your passport while travelling [and/or] your passport is 10 years old or more when you enter an EU country”.

While the advice comes from Luton Airport, the rules are the same no matter where you fly from, if you’re travelling with a British passport. If your travel document does not meet these requirements, you’ll likely be turned away by airline staff.

If you’re heading abroad soon, make sure to double-check your passport well before jetting off, as renewing one can take time. His Majesty’s (HM) Passport Office indicates that processing and delivery of a fresh or replacement passport currently takes around three weeks.

However, it can take longer “if we need more information, or we need to interview you”. Should any issues arise, the Passport Office will get in touch with you directly.

Since April of this year, a new or replacement adult passport (that is, someone aged 16 or above) costs £94.50 when applying online, or £107 if using the paper form. For children these prices ate £61.50 or £74, respectively.

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If you need a passport urgently, you can use the Premium Service (one day) but this will set you back £222 for an adult passport, or £189 for a child’s.