Aer Lingus mentioned my bag was too large to hold on… however I’d taken it on NINE different flights with the identical airline this yr

I regularly fly from Southampton to Dublin on Aer Lingus regional flights to visit my mum. I usually pay between £160 and £200.

In September I was asked to measure my carry-on suitcase when boarding at Southampton, then told it was too large and to pay a £35 charge.

But I’d flown the same route nine times in the last nine months with the same bag, and every other time it has been OK. On three of those occasions, I even measured it in the baggage sizer and was told it was within the limits.

On the return journey, I asked an Aer Lingus employee if I needed to check the bag in, and was told I didn’t. It was allowed on the plane with no problems. Is this fair? A.R, Hampshire

Up in the Aer: Aer Lingus told this reader her bag was too large, even though she had used it many times on the same route without a problem

Helen Crane of This is Money replies: Worrying about the size of your bag is now part and parcel of airline travel, especially as the limits seem to be ever-shrinking. 

What was once a relatively generous allowance now sees some carriers allowing no more than a small backpack on to the plane without the need to pay an extra fee.

I do understand your frustration, as a bag being accepted on to the same flight no less than nine times – three of which it was deemed to fit in the bag sizer by staff – would strongly suggest that the size was acceptable.

After you begrudgingly paid the £35 charge, you contacted Emerald Airlines, which operates regional Aer Lingus flights to complain about the lack of consistency.  

You received a reply which said it is up to the airport staff to make the decision.

But given it was previously fine, you feel that the member of staff got it wrong on that occasion. You also said that other passengers on the same flight were asked to pay for bags which they hadn’t needed to before. 

You contacted me to ask if I could encourage Aer Lingus to see sense. 

But sadly, it didn’t fly. An Emerald Airlines spokesman reiterated it was down to the discretion of the staff at the airport and their decision was final.  

He said: ‘Aer Lingus Regional flights, operated by Emerald Airlines, have a 7kg carry-on baggage limit per passenger. The maximum dimensions for carry-on baggage on these flights are 48x33x20cm.

‘Due to limited space on board our aircraft, gate staff at all airports are required to enforce this limit.’

You were not impressed, replying: ‘This not a budget airline – it charges premium prices. To charge someone who has flown nine times in the past nine months with the same suitcase does not make sense.’

Rules are rules, but as the price of airline tickets continues to rise, customers are increasingly cheesed off with extra charges for things like baggage. Airlines may have to look again at their policies if they want to keep them on board.