MEPs want all passengers to be allowed to take on free cabin baggage

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

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www.theguardian.com

EU proposals for free extra cabin bags on planes ‘lunatic idea’, says easyJet

Giving passengers right to additional carry-on baggage would be ‘terrible for the consumer’, warns airline’s CEO
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Disclosure: I am a shareholder in Ryanair

This is a typical populist idea which is not in the interest of consumers.

I regularly take day trips to London and other places and so I don't need to pay for a cabin bag. When I go for a few days, I pay for a cabin bag.

When people are encouraged to travel light, the loading and unloading seems to be a lot quicker.

I would guess that the airlines design their aircraft on the basis that 75% of customers will bring on cabin baggage. If 100% now bring on cabin baggage, there won't be enough room, so the planes will need to be redesigned.
 
That is exactly what will happen, fares increasing. As a very frequent flier and someone old enough to remember when Aer Lingus was a private travel club for its staff and their families the breakup of state monopolies and the arrival of Ryanair and EasyJet changed everything for consumers.

I choose to pay for a suitcase and seat. My brother pays for extra legroom, my children refuse to pay for bags or seats… They pay less, I pay more.

Now the elites who can well afford to pay more for their flights will be subsidised by those who choose to pay less. Probably those who can’t afford more and take cheap flights because they are cheap.
 
What really annoys me is the way some people seem to get away with bringing clearly oversized cabin baggage onboard - you can see significant different size bags, which must be notably heavier than others are bringing into the cabin, and I think cause much of the difficulty.

I'm not a big fan of the "ruthless" Ryanair approach, in overall terms, but I do support their enforcement of bags above certain sizes being redirected to the cargo area, at an additional cost to the passenger, Other airless need to adopt a similar policy, to bring an end to passengers who are selfishly "taking the Michael"
 
@Brendan Burgess

I dont think that you are a particularly good example of the travellers that we should be considering here, btw.

You are essentially a, day tripper, a very short term tourist, so far less likely to need to bring any baggage. However, I see you as being in a very small minority.

What about people who need to bring a change of clothes, such as clothes for a 48-72 hour trip, or a suit for a business meeting, or is they have a child travelling with them and need a few things for the child ? I don't think that they should have an additional fee imposed on them, if only small luggage.

I think it's reasonable to expect that a certain amount of cabin space be provided, subject to strict enforcement of size restrictions, and within a fixed travel fare, rather than at additional cost.

If Ryanair, and others, are not curtailed, it'll only be a question of when, rather than if, they'll start charging people to fly with them, based on their weight, or height...
 
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MrEarl said:
What really annoys me is the way some people seem to get away with bringing clearly oversized cabin baggage onboard - you can see significant different size bags, which must be notably heavier than others are bringing into the cabin, and I think cause much of the difficulty.
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In Dublin airport they are ruthless at getting people to pay for oversized bags. I’ve seen loads of arguments in just the last month. And woe betide you if you disagree or get anyway argumentative. I’ve purchased on Amazone a small wheelie that fits in their free bag allowance, I don’t bring my handbag, just a very small one that fits in it. Very convenient to not carrying anything over my shoulder. And yes I put it into their bag measure thingy to make sure wheels and handles don’t jut out. Last year at a continental airport someone had a hairy bag that was impossible to “fit” very upsetting scene. There is no excuse not to know the rules… one of my children knows which Ryanair staff member to avoid in Dublin !
 
MrEarl said:
What about people who need to bring a change of clothes, such as clothes for a 48-72 hour trip, or a suit for a business meeting, or is they have a child travelling with them and need a few things for the child ? I don't think that they should have an additional fee imposed on them, if only small luggage.
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Why not?

If you take up cabin space and I don't, you should pay for it.

You are asking me to pay for you to bring a suit on board?

Brendan
 
MrEarl said:
r is they have a child travelling with them and need a few things for the child ? I don't think that they should have an additional fee imposed on them, if only small luggage.
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I travelled regularly alone with 2 small children. There was never only a few things despite trying to limit my luggage. I couldn't do without a small suitcase as carrying kids and pram was enough. That's the way it was.
Now we are 4 adults travelling. We have perfected the way to travel light and can have a week away with a hand luggage each. I would not really want to have to pay more to accommodate people who can't or don't want to travel light.
 
I take umbrage when a small carry on case costs me more than the seat, and both ways. Especially when it weighs less than 7kg.
 
The reason that the seats are sometimes so cheap is because the extras cost money.

If I go to a restaurant and just have a pizza and a Moretti, I don't want to have to pay the same price as Mr Earl at the next table with 4 courses and a full bottle of wine.
 
Fortune said:
Why not? The extra weight increases the fuel cost for the flight, and the extra time spent by those people getting their belongings stowed away delays boarding, potentially another cost.
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I think I’ll wear the extra clothes and take supersize me onto the plane in my random seat. I couldn’t be bothered with all the extra clicks to purchase the flight with my bag in my reserved seat.
 
What bags do the MEPs want to be free?

At the moment, Ryanair allow a "small bag" to be carried on-board at no cost. It is meant to be stowed below the seat on front.

The max dimensions are 40 * 30 * 20 cm.

I bought one called CabinMax that meets these dimensions, €20.

Cabin Max Ryanair Cabin Bags Underseat Backpack for Travelling Metz 20L Hand Luggage Carry-ons RPET Recycled Polyester : Amazon.ie

Cabin Max Ryanair Cabin Bags Underseat Backpack for Travelling Metz 20L Hand Luggage Carry-ons RPET Recycled Polyester : Amazon.ie
www.amazon.ie


Do MEPs want the 10kg larger suitcases to be included in the fare?



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1769967586822.webp
 
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Protocol said:
The max dimensions are 40 * 30 * 20 cm.

I bought one called CabinMax that meets these dimensions, €20.
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Yeah, I bought me the 24L one with those dimensions, the link you posted is for 40*20*25 version or 20l. Every litre counts with Ryanair.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
If I go to a restaurant and just have a pizza and a Moretti, I don't want to have to pay the same price as Mr Earl at the next table with 4 courses and a full bottle of wine.
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A very similar analogy came to my mind. Mandating that the basic fare would include a 10k carry on (if that is what is proposed) would be like saying that at the restaurant "everyone has to pay for a starter" even if you only want a main course. It's a distortion of a free market to make such a rule. And practically speaking, if all the 190 or so passengers on a Ryanair plane carry on a 10k bag, they won't fit overhead, which will result in boarding and deboarding delays (which greatly increases airline costs) and more cramped conditions under the seats.
 
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