There’s a small victory for savvy travellers flying Ryanair this summer — and I do mean small.
In a move that seems timed to stay ahead of looming EU legislation, Ryanair has increased its free cabin baggage allowance just enough to let you sneak in a couple more T-shirts — or perhaps an extra souvenir for Granny. The new allowance bumps up the under-seat bag dimensions from 40x25x20cm to 40x30x20cm. That extra 5cm may not seem like much, but in the budget-travel game, it’s a tactical inch.
This comes as the European Parliament is in the midst of a heated debate about standardising baggage allowances across airlines, with some MEPs calling for all passengers to be entitled to two free cabin bags. Cue the collective airline groan.
But Ryanair isn’t flying solo on this. The airline is part of Airlines for Europe (A4E), a trade body that includes heavy hitters like Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, British Airways’ parent company IAG, and our own Aer Lingus. Together, they’ve just announced a new industry-wide minimum standard for free under-seat bags: 40x30x15cm, to be rolled out by the end of summer.
So, while Ryanair’s new allowance is technically more generous than the A4E standard, don’t get carried away — if your bag still bulges beyond the line at the gate, you could face a stinging fee. Budget airlines have a knack for turning “free” into €35 if you blink at the wrong time.
Here’s how the fees stack up:
- Ryanair Priority Boarding: Lets you carry a 10kg bag onboard, but if it’s too large, brace yourself — checking it in could cost between €9.49 and €44.99, depending on the route.
- 20kg checked bag with Ryanair: Costs between €18.99 and €59.99.
- Excess baggage: €13.99 per extra kilo.
Over at Aer Lingus, if you want to bring a 10kg cabin bag onboard, you’ll need to pay for “Carry-On Bag with Priority Boarding” — starting at €9.99. Show up unannounced with that same bag? You’ll get slapped with a €35 gate fee. That’ll teach you to pack spontaneously.
Interestingly, Aer Lingus still allows 10kg bags to be checked in for free, a rare concession in today’s luggage wars. But if your holiday haul gets heavier:
- 20kg checked bag: €25 to €55
- Two 20kg bags (40kg total): €65 to €85
- Overweight fees: €10 per kilo.
Meanwhile, easyJet is playing the friendly card, saying they’ll continue to exceed A4E’s minimum standards and keep their current baggage allowances intact.
This move by A4E marks the first-ever industry framework for standardising the size of small carry-on bags. But it’s far from a done deal — especially with lawmakers pushing for more rights and airlines pushing back hard. As A4E’s managing director, Ourania Georgoutsakou, quipped last month:
“What’s next? Mandatory popcorn and drinks as part of your cinema ticket?”
So, will this bag of tricks make travel smoother? For now, it’s a minor tweak rather than a major win — but at least we can all breathe (and pack) a little easier.
Tip from Ed: Always double-check your bag size before heading to the airport. A few centimetres can mean the difference between a freebie and a fee-pocalypse.
