Ryanair new baggage allowances and rules.

[Baz]

I thought it may be helpful to make everyone aware of the amended new Ryanair baggage allowances and rules. The two main changes are checked in baggage allowance can no longer be shared and the increase to £5.50 per Kilo for excess. Many people have been penalised in recent days for excess baggage and it is being strictly checked. It has been reported that many passengers falling foul of the new rules can be seen transferring suitcase contents into their hand luggage at the check in desks in an attempt to reduce their potential excess baggage charge.

I thought as many readers travel with Ryanair that it might be helpful to reproduce the new rules below as of 18/1/06.

Checked Baggage Allowance: Checked baggage allowance is 15kg per person (no infant allowance). Passengers may not use the unused allowances of others. No pooling/sharing of baggage allowances is permitted, even when travelling together on the same reservation. For health and safety reasons Ryanair will not accept any individual item exceeding 32 kilos. For health and safety reasons Ryanair will not accept any individual item exceeding 32 kilos and with combined dimensions of more than 81cms height, 119cms wide and 119cms depth. Cabin Baggage Allowance: Ryanair allows each passenger (excluding infants) to carry one small piece of hand baggage on board. The hand baggage must not weigh more than 10kg and be less than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, in dimensions. For the safety and convenience of all passengers, hand baggage must fit underneath the seat or in the overhead compartment. Excess Baggage: Checked baggage in excess of 15kg will be charged at the rate of £5.50/€8 per kilo (or local currency equivalent) in excess on all routes I think it is time that Ryanair changed its image to a " A HIGH COST AIRLINE"!!!  It is using any method to raise its income but at the same time still being able to continue to publish low cost fares. The Daily Mirror published an article at the end of last year explaining what was going. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_objectid=16474498%26method=full%26siteid=94762-name_page.html Baz

[PeterG]

Bit confused by this. If a husband and wife are travelling together, surely they can have one bag with an allowance up to 30 kilos, or do they have to have a bag each?

Incidentally we flew to Ancona last year from where sailed to Greece. We were over the allowance which we knew as we were away for three weeks. However, the price of the excess baggage was more than the flight!!!!!!!!!

[Iceni]

 Michael O'Ryanair - he say "No pooling/sharing of baggage allowances is permitted, even when travelling together on the same reservation."

I am confused as to why this sentence is confusing.

Carrying excess baggage is voluntary - why do people do it and then complain ? Or is it just a British trait ?

John

not

[Lollie]

I often travel with my young daughter to UK and only take one suitcase weighing around 20Kilos, so I am confused?

Lolie

[Smiley]

Previously if a husband and wife travelled together they could take 1 suitacase no problem, I have done it myself with my case weighing 25 Kilo's, no problems.

If you are entitled to 15 kilo's each, and can pool your weights, then that's fine but under the new ruling you'd get charged.

If, like most people you just book without reading the small-print you would now get fined the excess baggage. I think you are right Baz, it is just a way to snare unsuspecting travellers.

For years I used to go fishing in spain, my rods would go through as normal luggage provided I stayed within the weight restrictions, suddenly they are now classed as ski's, we got caught out last time we flew and got charged £25.00 each person each way.

I know we should read the small-print but this is how they make up the difference.

As for complaining if we don't do it, we get ripped off even more. If you think the Brit's are bad you should see what the yanks would do. Why should they get away with this kind of scamming. It does work too, when speedferries started charging fuel surcharges at the docks it caused mayhem wiyh complaints. The MD eventually issued a grovelling appology and has vowed never to let it happen again.

Would you just prefer to be ripped off on every occasion John?

[Mpprh]

Hi

you can get at least 15kg in the hunting pockets of a barbour jacket.

Peter

 

[Dotty0]

Or just wear all of your clothes on the plane....

[Owens88]

If all carriers followed this rule then there would not be a market for big suitcases. 'Family size' doesn't apply now - its one each no matter what.

 

John

[Russethouse]

Who thought up this rule ?

Picture a mother travelling alone with a young child, bad enough with one suitcase, virtually impossible with two. Or anyone travelling with an elderly parent. Surely its quite reasonable to expect couples to share a suitcase......I wonder how long it will be before 'Watchdog' are picking this up ?

[:@]

 

[Teamedup]

I must admit that it wouldn't have suited me when my kids were small, and it says that there is no child baggage allowance, I would hope that for children who have paid as much as an adult for a seat there would be. The problem would be when the children were too young too pay.

But is it really a problem. We never flew that much when my kids were small, the minimum I could fly for was around £120 return then and that was a lot of money then. Kids fares were not half but around 60 or 70% I cannot remember now.

These days we get very cheap flights, we couldn't drive for these costs could we, what with autoroute charges and ferries being so expensive, so we read the small print and we chose who we want to fly with. What is the point in bitching about it. Won't it mean that the planes use less fuel if the load is lighter, or maybe can carry more freight, so that would keep costs down.

 

 

[Smiley]

Let's follow better scenarios, one that I can relate to. You've got 4 kids, travelling abroad they are 6 months, 7yrs, 11yrs  and 13yrs in ages, you and your partner , stressed with making sure the kids stay together , get to the check-in:

Scenario1

You are told by some over made-up wannabe air hostess that your 3 suitcases (between 6 of you) are overweight because you can't share your allowance. So you pay the excess luggage fee. While you are arguing the toss, your kids are wandering about the check-in area bored stupid. Either you or your wife are trying to keep control. You have to find the right Credit card  or cash to put the excess (that you shouldn't have to pay) on, while other people behind you are tutting and moaning that you are keeping them waiting. (IF YOU HAVE A CREDIT CARD OR CASH ON YOU) - GREAT START TO THE HOLIDAY

Scenario 2

You turn up at the airport, having read the rules, and have 6 suitcases, spread correctly for the journey. What do you do when you land at the other end  (already stressed from making sure you stay together)??  Because IF you can get a taxi to take 6 people they certainly won't be able to take 6 suitcases +hand luggage so you'll have to split up again. OR if you've hired a car to take 6, again it won't take the luggage. These companies have worked out all these scenario's.- That's why I drive if the kids are with us.

P.S. they're now 21, 19, 15 and 8

This is just a con aimed at the people who need cheap flights the most. We must keep complaining about this. (This is not a Brit thing). The best time to complain is at check-in. The time when airlines can least afford the delays and when you cause them most embarassment.

[YCCMB]

Am not "bitching", as I don't think this will ever affect me in any negative way. I invariably travel alone if flying, and after spending most of my working life on planes I learned how to do a 2-week business trip to Africa on hand luggage many years ago. If someone's prepared to fly me to France, or anywhere I want to go, for less than it costs me to fill up my car with a tank of petrol, then I'm prepared to put up with a fair amount before I start to ask if it's worth it.[;)]

However, am I being dense or isn't it true that if you can't pool your baggage allowance the chances of this saving weight (and hence fuel) for the airline are minimal?? After all, if you have 1 suitcase (say it weighs 2-3 Kg: I've no idea of the weight of an empty suitcase) plus 28Kg of clothes for 2 people, that's 30Kg. You might even take less than this because you can't physically get 28Kg of clothes into your big suitcase, hence by sharing a case you are actually forced to take less and reduce the amount of weight carried by the airline. I'm fairly convinced that 2 suitcases (even if smaller/empty) will have a combined weight of MORE than 1 suitcase, so logically this will increase the total by a small amount. On top of this, let's factor in human nature, which says that whilst you might sacrifice a bit in order to cram all your belongings into a shared suitcase, you'll take that extra jumper/pair of trousers if you are having to pack a separate suitcase and it's not quite full. Where this does begin to take the p*** is that the "main" baggage allowance is slowly being eroded from the 20Kg that most scheduled carriers allow for a normal tourist class baggage allowance.

Smiley, loved your post, even the bit I misread (at least I think I misread: did you mean that your kids were likely to have aged 9 years whilst scenarios 1 and 2 played out? I know I often felt like I'd aged by at least that much when flying with my kids!![:)].) Not sure that making a fuss at checkin with the budget airlines is always a good idea..........anything which delays their schedules is usually dealt with by them bumping you off the flight altogether!!

 

 

[Smiley]

[quote user="Croixblanches"]

Am not "bitching", as I don't think this will ever affect me in any negative way. I invariably travel alone if flying, and after spending most of my working life on planes I learned how to do a 2-week business trip to Africa on hand luggage many years ago. If someone's prepared to fly me to France, or anywhere I want to go, for less than it costs me to fill up my car with a tank of petrol, then I'm prepared to put up with a fair amount before I start to ask if it's worth it.[;)]

However, am I being dense or isn't it true that if you can't pool your baggage allowance the chances of this saving weight (and hence fuel) for the airline are minimal?? After all, if you have 1 suitcase (say it weighs 2-3 Kg: I've no idea of the weight of an empty suitcase) plus 28Kg of clothes for 2 people, that's 30Kg. You might even take less than this because you can't physically get 28Kg of clothes into your big suitcase, hence by sharing a case you are actually forced to take less and reduce the amount of weight carried by the airline. I'm fairly convinced that 2 suitcases (even if smaller/empty) will have a combined weight of MORE than 1 suitcase, so logically this will increase the total by a small amount. On top of this, let's factor in human nature, which says that whilst you might sacrifice a bit in order to cram all your belongings into a shared suitcase, you'll take that extra jumper/pair of trousers if you are having to pack a separate suitcase and it's not quite full. Where this does begin to take the p*** is that the "main" baggage allowance is slowly being eroded from the 20Kg that most scheduled carriers allow for a normal tourist class baggage allowance.

Smiley, loved your post, even the bit I misread (at least I think I misread: did you mean that your kids were likely to have aged 9 years whilst scenarios 1 and 2 played out? I know I often felt like I'd aged by at least that much when flying with my kids!![:)].) Not sure that making a fuss at checkin with the budget airlines is always a good idea..........anything which delays their schedules is usually dealt with by them bumping you off the flight altogether!![/quote]

CROIXBLANCHES - NOT IF YOU'RE AT THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE!!!

The kids only aged 9 yrs -I aged 20!!!

These are some of the shirty things that airlines try to do to you. If you turn up on time, or before time , it's very hard for them to kick you off the flight. If people treat me right I don't get stroppy with them but when you've got kids your stress levels go up anyway. Thankfully these days my big kids don't want to holiday with us (we're boring and the village hasn't got any night clubs etc.) so they do their own thing-normally Spain or Greece. but when they were younger it was hard work. The last thing you need is someone trying to screw more money out of you.

As for the logistics of number of suitcases over weight, I'll bet they don't enforce it in the summer months when their holds can't take 300+ suitcases, regardless of weight! Imagine the extra work for baggage handlers and packing staff.

 

 

[Iceni]

If you don't like Ryanair's rules find another way to travel.

If you don't read the T&C - normal print size - don't blame the airline. Ryanair's mistake has been in not enforcing the rules all day, every day but it seems to be learning

Ryanair etc have brought the price of travel down and forced BA, Air France etc to come down with them. Michael O'Ryanair is one of the few who makes a  profit (surely the whole point of being in business) so is doing a lot of things right. BTW I am not related and make no money supporting cheap airlines.

Travel light - most people don't use all the stuff in the suitcases anyway.

Infants that don't pay for a seat don't deserve a luggage allowance.

There will always be people who think that rules only apply to others but nuff said on my part.

John

not

[opas]

I would be hard pressed to fill a bag to 15killos, I can only remember doing that once.....when we left England for our new life in France. Myself and the girls flew and had the contents of our wardrobes between us , including a Leather coat as to 10 killos of hand luggage, that is quite some weight to lug about!

By the way , I have noticed a few changes on the Ryanair site and the calendar view options seem to have dissapeared, has anyone found an alternative to this option, apart from trying everyday of the month that is required.

Mrs O

[Pangur]

[quote] This is just a con aimed at the people who need cheap flights the most. We must keep complaining about this. (This is not a Brit thing). The best time to complain is at check-in. The time when airlines can least afford the delays and when you cause them most embarassment.

[/quote]

Why should customers be penalised for others' failure to follow the rules?  There is nothing worse than being held up at an airport by people with an over-inflated sense of self-importance who seem to think the rules don't apply to them.  From my experience, most of the people whining at check-in desks have caused their own problems.  The only people they're embarrassing are themselves.   I don't think it is possible to embarrass Micheal O'Leary - the only way you can hurt him is by not using his airline.

It's not a con - it's their policy.  If you don't like it or think you're being ripped off, find some other way to get there (as you do) or complain in a way that doesn't affect other customers who have followed the terms and conditions. They're currently advertising flights to Pau for 0.99. Do people really think they can offer this kind of price without having pretty tough t&c?

I don't fly Ryanair if I can at all help it, but when I have to, I make sure I know the t&c, where the airport is and am there for check-in opening.  I accept that if I am late, through no fault of  my own, I will get bumped.  With all the publicity about Ryanair in the UK media, I don't understand how anyone expects anything else.

 

 

 

[Baz]

[quote user="Opas"]

By the way , I have noticed a few changes on the Ryanair site and the calendar view options seem to have dissapeared, has anyone found an alternative to this option, apart from trying everyday of the month that is required.

Mrs O

[/quote]

Mrs O.
I do not know whether this will help, but I find this site very useful as you dictate how much you want to pay for a flight between specific dates and it will tell you all the availability and exact cost. It covers currently Ryanair, BMIBaby, Air Wales, Norwegian Air, SkyEurope, Thomsonfly and Flybe and it checks the availability every 1-2 hours.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/flightchecker/index.php#search

Baz

[Owens88]

Hi Iceni

 

Infants don't get a luggage allowance, fair enough. Childrens' seats costs full whack and they get a luggage alowance as long as they have their own case. If their luggage is in their parent's case they lose their allowance. In what way does that make sense ?

 

Hi Pangur and others

The reason this change may seem like it is a way to generate surcharges as a 'revenue builder' more than a practical deterrent (cf speeding cameras) is that it is a change from recent practice and air carrier norms.

Even Ryanair would, until recently, check in all of a family's baggage and
total them before applying surcharges. (Obviously any pieces that are
individually over-size or overweight for safety reasons - 32kg - are not
allowed). The total family weight allowance applied.

Come on, look at suitcases in the shops and on the luggage mat. Unless going
for a very long holiday the big ones have always been for families/couples.
Now Ryanair are saying each traveller (child or adult, not infant) must have
a separate case. That is a change and one which is unlikely to be picked up
by many people until it is too late.

[Russethouse]

John (not Di) I can only assume that you have never travelled single handed with a child (or two), however I take your point - find another carrier. We can only assume that RyanAir does not want the business of families or couples who would like to share a suitcase.

How would Di's daughter manage to visit ? For example accompanied by a brother....wont she end up with a situation where someone could have a wheelchair and TWO suitcases to manouvere ( OK she may be 'self propelled' but not every wheelchair user is capaple of that)

 

[Smiley]

Ok, point taken, maybe standing at the front of the queue complaining is not the way to do it and as I said in my previous posting, we should read the Terms and Conditions but we're not all perfect.

As sharing weight has been a standard procedure with all airlines it will catch people out. I fully accept the 15 Kg rule and understand this-less weight, cheaper flights, no problem. What I can't understand is WHY no pooling, it would seem to work against them not for them.

As for using some one else - I do.

The problem is not unique to Ryan Air  and please don't think I'm singling them out. The previous incident with the fishing rods was with Flybe, I had the terms and conditions with me, which I printed at the time of booking, and they did not mention additional charges. The check in girl sent me to customer services but all they said was that they were now posted on the web site.  I'd have to pay and appeal later. 

On another airline I travelled on people were being told they could not fly because they had sold the seats twice, again common practice, as airlines expect so many people not to turn up. If they do tough luck. Is this fair?

That is why I feel that many of these budget companies change the rules so frequently. They have to make the money up somehow. This does leave a bitter taste though.

[opas]

Thanks Baz, have put the webpage to favorites.

Mrs O

[Deimos]

I was once in a Ryanair queue when the person next to me

(different flight) was not allowed to travel because they got to the check-in

person 2 mins too late.  They were in

the check-in queue some time before the required time, but the queue took

time.  Thus all those standing

complaining remember that you make be completely “disrupting” others in the queue

behind you (in a major way and costing them real money).

Ian

[Owens88]

1 queue for 2 flights ? Amazing ?

And the check-in staff did not call forward anybody queing for the closing flight ? Also amazing. 

[Teamedup]

It is even worse now in Geneva with Easyjet. Everyone just queues now and they make no calls for those who need to get checked in quicker. Last time I was queueing for at least 20 minutes, which didn't matter to me as I was three hours early for my flight anyway, I had no choice if I had caught the later train I would have been several hours too late for it.

[Owens88]

Update from Easyjet (for info only)

'We generally encourage passengers to take 1 piece of luggage per paying passenger, however, it is the decision of the check in staff, as to whether they will charge for a bag that is over 20kgs for a family travelling. '