New guidelines for Ryanair and easyJet fliers to spark huge baggage shake-up
Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet could allow passengers to bring both a cabin bag and personal item without extra charges if proposed EU regulations are approved
Ryanair could be required to change its baggage rules(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Travellers flying with Ryanair and easyJet may soon benefit from more generous cabin baggage allowances without facing additional fees. Currently, passengers on basic fares with the two carriers are restricted to one small personal item, with any supplementary luggage resulting in extra charges.
Following revisions to EU regulations, Ryanair has been required to expand the permitted dimensions of personal bags.
The updated rules permit passengers to carry hand luggage measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, representing a 20 per cent increase from the previous 40 x 20 x 25cm restriction. easyJet’s personal bag dimensions already complied with the requirements.
Further EU regulatory changes could now allow travellers to bring both a cabin bag measuring up to 100cm and a personal bag without incurring additional expenses.
In January, the European Parliament voted decisively to grant all passengers the entitlement to carry a small case alongside the complimentary underseat bags currently allowed.
The parliament’s proposal would permit passengers to bring aboard, at no extra charge, one personal item (such as a handbag, rucksack or laptop) and one small piece of hand luggage with maximum combined dimensions of 100cm (length, width and height) and weighing up to seven kg.
The suggested amendments, which require backing from the European Council to become legislation, would impact all passengers flying to or from an EU airport on an EU-based airline.
It would directly affect the majority of short-haul flights departing from the UK. MEPs are also campaigning for a regulation that ensures children under 12 years old are placed next to an accompanying passenger without additional charges.
At present, there is no legal obligation for airlines to position children alongside their parents, although the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises they should do so.
The CAA said: “Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult.
“Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults.
“This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.”
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