Ryanair to abolish checked luggage

[JMB]

Hey it looks like the very much luved Mickey is going to abolish hold luggage http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601093&sid=ad_1t6Mslq4M . Maybe he will install coffin tipe accomadation in the holds to get higher usage.[:D]

[andyh4]

Assuming it's not yet another O'Leary kite-flying publicity stunt, that will knacker a few winter routes to ski resorts like Grenoble.

[seb47]

You can probably fit another 30 passengers in the hold, then charge extra for camp beds, breathing apparatus and a couple of blankets!

Peter

[Sprogster]

What is also interesting in the linked article, is that O'Leary says he is freezing capacity from his nine UK bases, because of increasing airline passenger duty. This only means ticket prices are likely to rise, as Ryanair will look to maximise the profitability of its existing capacity, to offset the loss of growth potential.

I cannot see that Ryanair can materially increase its hand luggage allowance, other than remove the weight restriction like Easyjet, as with so many seats crammed into a Ryanair 737-800, there is limited cabin storage capacity.

For those passengers that need to check in luggage, such as sportsmen, parents with young children travelling with kiddy buggies, disabled people travelling with wheel chairs, people going on longer holidays, or those who have to travel with liquids in excess of the 100ml allowance, they will have to use another carrier. The problem being is that on many of the Ryanair routes to France they are the only carrier, which is probably why they can get away with this stupidity!

[Chancer]

I am with him on this one, if you want low fares then why on earth not carry aboard all your luggage. It appears that 70% of travellers already do.

Knowing the costs involved in baggage handling, the costs of repatriation and/or compensation I reckon it probably does cost not far off the €20 per bag especially when you include all the check in and handling staff.

Hats off to the guy I say!

I wonder if people will start booze cruising with Ryanair? A case of beer is less than the regulation size and with some training from an African lady you could balance loads on top of your head!

[andyh4]

Ever tried getting a snow board into the overhead locker?

[Russethouse]

If its hand luggage only you couldn't even bring back a bottle of wine let alone a case of beer....

[Lollie]

I personally wouldnt mind carry on my luggage, but my 81 year old mum would have difficulty carrying it onto the plane,  which is why we also book her case into the hold.   

[Benjamin]

Three month old, buggy, changing bag...................?   [:@], oh, and some luggage.

[Sprogster]

Slight misunderstanding here, in that Ryanair proposals are not to ban checked in luggage, but that the passengers will have to take any checked in luggage down to the plane themselves and collect it from the plane at their destination. That way you only need the one luggage handler to load the cases delivered to the plane by the passengers.

This is all subject to the approval of the individual airport operators and the Department of Transport, so may come to nothing, as I cannot see how this could work at the larger airports with passengers milling around outside the plane depositing and collecting their checked in luggage! Also has potential to totally clog security x-ray channels that in many cases are two small to even fit through a full size suitcase.

Someone has clearly been at the wacky baccy again!

[Stefan]

Well those who rely on packing liquids, gels and "sharps" in their suitcase for the two week holiday will be stymied if he does adopt this system.....The 20 cm X 20 cm square plastic bag & 100 ml container rule, etc, etc, applies to any baggage anyone takes through security, irrespective of wether the baggage is hand baggage or is ultimately destined for the aircraft holds.

Not sure wether MOL has been smoking waccy baccy, borrowed a kite to fly from Mr Branson, or he's just generating publicity....or been talking to Aeroflot

edited to add: And sprongster is right - there would be "elf" and safety issues at some UK airports with passengers walking around the aircraft to hand over their bags...and IMHO it would seem unworkable if the passengers were boarding the aircraft via a jetty...

[toomuchtravel]

It won't work, and I say this as a weekly user of Ryanair. The overhead lockers are already packed to the gunnels and often people have to leave bags at the steps and have the moved to the hold (by a baggage handler) because although the bag complies with the rules there is just no space left.

They recently started to police the "one bage per passenger" rule at Standsted and it lasted 1 week before the staff refused to becaus ethey were being abused and in once case, attacked by passengers who were carrying on multiple bags .... I just can't see how it will work.

[Théière]

They would have more room if they got rid of the life jackets under the seats, the safety briefing even says in the unlikely event of landing on water.

Far more likely to crash on the land with the french routes.

 

Sorry this was a sensible discussion up till now, I will go [;-)]

[RicandJo]

My guess is they will look to move towards a 'valet bag' type system as used by many other airlines.

i.e. you take all your bags through including those too big for the cabin and leave your 'hold' bag at the aircraft steps. When you get off at the other end the bags are there at the bottom of the steps for you to collect and away you go. Saves the airline money because they only need one or two loaders at the aircraft.

Popular with business travellers - on the upside you don't have to wait around for your luggage to come off the carousel and you know it's going to be there for you but on the downside you have to pack travel size everything!

[Stefan]

Not seen the valet bag system....interesting idea, and I could see how it would work for the travel savvy business/LoCo traveller. However for Auntie Gladys on her "once a year" epic to visit the relatives.............

[RicandJo]

Yeah I've seen it work well. BA Connect (ex CitiExpress/Brymon) used to do it. Flybe do it (I think) and I see it at LCY on VLM flights. Business travellers like it because there's no waiting around when they get to where they're going.

[Scooby]

We have become quite used to travelling with only hand luggage - even to colder destinations for longer trips (1-2 weeks).  It's been quite a good discipline as we now realise how much stuff we used to take with us just to bring back unworn / unused.  It's also much quicker at both ends - just walk on and off the plane, no hassle, no waiting around.  I now look at some of the big cases being collected from the carousel and wonder what on earth other people find to pack!

Re the ski / snowboard comment - why do you need to take your own when you can hire perfectly good gear at the other end...and save the carbon footprint?

[Théière]

Isn't that how we used to do it in the days before RA, both Tours and Poitiers in the days of Buzz, carry out your luggage to the plane on the tarmac, collect from the tarmac at the other end.

Could try banning all casses bags etc with wheels, if you can't carry it you can't take it!

[RicandJo]

why do you need to take your own when you can hire perfectly good gear at the other end..

Personally I'd sooner take my own. Never been a fan of the rental stuff - perfectly good maybe but dog's doodah's no!

I'm a K2 Apache Crossfire freak - never ever seen them available to rent, specially in Euroland.....

Where did the smileys go?????

[Scooby]

But if you can afford the dogs doodahs in ski / snowboard gear you can afford to fly BA / Flyby / BMI...non?

[Théière]

[quote user="RicandJo"]why do you need to take your own when you can hire perfectly good gear at the other end.. Personally I'd sooner take my own. Never been a fan of the rental stuff - perfectly good maybe but dog's doodah's no! I'm a K2 Apache Crossfire freak - never ever seen them available to rent, specially in Euroland..... Where did the smileys go?????[/quote]

There you go RicandJo open a high end hire shop![I]

[suein56]

[quote user="teapot"]

Isn't that how we used to do it in the days before RA, both Tours and Poitiers in the days of Buzz, carry out your luggage to the plane on the tarmac, collect from the tarmac at the other end.[/quote]

At La Rochelle it was a man with a little train-type-affair who brought the cases into the (then)  very small collection area.

[quote user="teapot"]Could try banning all casses bags etc with wheels, if you can't carry it you can't take it![/quote]

That's me out of the picture then as even my cabin luggage has wheels; with my arthritis I can only manage to carry a tiny shoulderbag!

Sue

[Pierre ZFP]

I suppose it could work at a little 2-flight-a-week airport but could you imagine it at Stansted?

I had to smile at the thought of carrying your own case out to a flight from Hahn.  A big hub for RA and many flights an hour at times.  So much so that the Overseers drive you across the tarmac with whips in order to speed up the boarding (well not quite but it feels like it sometimes) and more than once, people have taken the wrong plane!!  I can see it now, breakfast in Germany, lunch in Paris luggage in Rome ........

 

[Théière]

[quote user="suein56"][quote user="teapot"]

Isn't that how we used to do it in the days before RA, both Tours and Poitiers in the days of Buzz, carry out your luggage to the plane on the tarmac, collect from the tarmac at the other end.[/quote]

At La Rochelle it was a man with a little train-type-affair who brought the cases into the (then)  very small collection area.

[quote user="teapot"]Could try banning all casses bags etc with wheels, if you can't carry it you can't take it![/quote]

That's me out of the picture then as even my cabin luggage has wheels; with my arthritis I can only manage to carry a tiny shoulderbag!

Sue

[/quote]

So has mine Sue as I don't want arthristis.

Ok, only regulation size and weight hand luggage can have wheels no other [;-)]

[andyh4]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

I suppose it could work at a little 2-flight-a-week airport but could you imagine it at Stansted?

 

[/quote]

 

No I can't imagine it working at Stanstead, and yet it seems to work perfectly well at Dusseldorf and Lyon - neither could be regarded as 2 flights a week airports.