Recently, I found myself on the receiving end of Ryanair’s infamous baggage fees, forking out €60 (£49.95) on a penalty that didn’t result from oversized luggage, but due to having a water bottle with me. The Irish carrier may boast some of the cheapest fares for travel abroad, yet it’s just as notorious for imposing hefty extra charges.
Many travellers find themselves facing these fees if their luggage doesn’t comply with the airline’s policies, particularly at the boarding gate—a predicament I unfortunately experienced during my last jaunt to Dublin.
Social media is awash with testimonies detailing the frequency and frustration of Ryanair’s bag charges. In my case, the plan was simple; I took a couple of days off to catch up with pals in Ireland’s bustling capital and decided to travel light with only my backpack.
To keep costs low, I settled on a “non-priority” fare, which permits one “small” bag—no larger than 40 x 20 x 25cm—to be tucked under the seat ahead. This economy strategy meant my total return airfare was a mere £35.86, quite the bargain by any measure.
Last year, I found the perfect backpack on Amazon that matched an airline’s size requirements and had since become my trusty travel companion on numerous journeys, sailing through without a hitch. Confidently, I intended to use it yet again.
On the early morning of Saturday, February 1, at precisely 5.30am, I strolled through Stansted Airport where the Ryanair staff smoothly scanned my boarding pass, making my way toward the aircraft with my trusty backpack and my water bottle secured to its top handle. Little did I anticipate the turn of events three days later on my return trip from Dublin, with a sore throat that left me raspy-voiced as though I’d smoked for decades.
My gate for the flight back to Stansted was scheduled to close at 11.30am; however, I delayed my approach until about 12.20pm due to my aisle seat and uncomplicated luggage situation. Passport and boarding pass in hand, I proceeded towards the gate when I felt an unexpected tap.
“You need to put your bag in here,” instructed a member of the Ryanair crew, gesturing to the sizing box. Complying, I managed to fit the bag in with a bit of effort. Bag back on my shoulder, I was abruptly advised by the same staff member regarding my water bottle: “That will need to go in the bag.”
I hesitantly inquired if the request was really necessary, pointing out that I hadn’t needed to do so on my previous flight. The attendant insisted that I must stow all extra items inside my luggage before boarding, directing me back to the departure seating area.
As I started to feel increasingly agitated, I struggled to fit the 750ml metal bottle into my bag, accompanied by a handful of other passengers who had also been stopped by the Ryanair crew, all frantically trying to rearrange their belongings. After managing to awkwardly cram the bottle in, the zip strained to stay closed, resulting in a conspicuous bulge on the top right-hand corner of my bag.
Upon returning to the gate and re-scanning my boarding pass, another Ryanair staff member abruptly instructed me, “That bag is too big. You’ll need to go over there and pay to get on the flight.”
Perplexed, I asked why I couldn’t carry the bottle in my hand, just as I had done on my inward flight. I began to feel like a troublesome passenger. The response was that the water bottle had to fit inside my bag; if not, it would be considered a “second bag”, which wasn’t permitted with my ticket type. Flabbergasted and utterly bewildered, I posed the question again, stressing the words “water bottle”.
The bewilderment set in as I observed other travellers breezing through the gate clutching their laptops, munching on Burger King, and cuddling travel pillows—it was a stark contrast to my predicament. At that juncture, admittedly, I transformed into one of those agitated customers you’d witness on the classic ’90s series Airline.
The situation just didn’t make sense to me. I wasn’t the only passenger entangled in this fiasco; others called out by Ryanair staff presented similar pleas along the lines of “I flew here with the bag like this, why can’t I fly back? ” The exchanges were rife with animated gestures, exasperated eye rolls, murmurs about “dimensions” bandied back and forth, and decisive pointing—especially in the direction of the seemingly embarrassed gentleman at the far end of the gate summoning us for payment.
The moment Ryanair declared the gate closed for our flight, anxiety took hold—I had never missed a plane or been denied boarding before. In my flustered state, I implored the airline representatives, “What am I supposed to do? ” Only to be bluntly informed by a staff member, “You’ll have to pay for it either way,” insinuating an unavoidable fee whether the issue was the extra bag or its size.
With the plane slated to depart in just 15 minutes and myself not yet in my seat, I floated over to the chap wielding the charge card, handed over €60, and was promptly branded with the yellow sticker of shame on my rucksack. This badge of dishonour was reserved for those flyers who had failed to scrupulously examine Ryanair’s luggage policies, finding themselves either caught out or simply disregarding them.
I noted at least four fellow passengers on this flight similarly adorned; hence, if each was charged €60, Ryanair netted a tidy sum of no less than £200 from our collective oversight. A mere ten minutes away from takeoff, another disconcerted traveller and I dashed towards the aircraft steps.
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Her cabin bag, the same she’d comfortably brought with her from Stansted just two days prior, was now being relegated to the hold for exceeding the allowed size by a few centimetres – the handle at the top sealing its fate. She vented her irritation openly both to me and the gentleman tasked with transporting her bag downstairs, who could only reply with: “I can’t tell you how many times we do this each day, I honestly don’t know how it works.”
My subsequent dash to my seat ended with me hurling myself down to regain composure and catch my breath, racked with shakes, mired in bewilderment, and rife with exasperation at the absurd turn of events. Trying to make sense of what unfolded proved futile.
During the 50-minute flight back to London, it dawned on me that discarding the bottle and purchasing a new one for £25 upon landing would have been more cost-effective. Naturally, this hindsight only served to make me feel foolish.
However, such an action would have been incredibly un-environmental, not to mention it would have robbed me of the gratification of knowing I was the millionth-plus person to save a plastic water bottle from ending up in a landfill by refilling mine. Kudos to Dublin Airport for sharing that fact.
Upon arrival, I trudged to my coach, filled out a complaint form with Ryanair regarding the charge, and detailed the entire incident. In response, Ryanair began by acknowledging that I was “disputing a baggage fee charged for carrying a water bottle separate from your carry-on bag”, before dismissing my claim and parroting the exact phrasing from its baggage policy on its website.
After sharing my tumultuous experience with workmates, I decided to take the matter up with Ryanair’s press team. I was curious to know if there was a distinction between bringing my own water bottle and purchasing a plastic one at the airport.
Would the latter have been allowed?
Furthermore, I queried whether this rule applied to neck pillows, scarves, umbrellas, and other items typically attached to bags during travel. This was important to me as the only information provided on the baggage page is: “All our fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag, backpack, or laptop bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you.”
Ryanair remained tight-lipped in response to questions regarding their baggage policy after an incident wherein they refused to allow a passenger to board with a water bottle carrier bag unless it was packed within their existing luggage allowance. Details on how to add such an item to a booking still remain unclear, but updates will be provided as they become available.
Ryanair’s official comment clarified: “This passenger booked a Basic Fare ticket for this flight from Dublin to Stansted (4 Feb), which allowed them to carry a small personal bag onboard. This passenger attempted to board with an additional carry-on, and as it would not fit within their permitted bag, she was correctly required to pay a standard gate baggage fee (€60). Once payment was made, this passenger travelled on this flight from Dublin to Stansted (4 Feb).”
Martyn James, Mirror columnist and consumer rights advocate, remarked: “I’ve heard of some wacky Ryanair charges in my time, but this one is the absolute worst! I can only hope for the airline’s sake that this is an example of an overzealous staff member getting carried away. Because if not, there’ll be a sudden rush for another carrier! “.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-charged-50-ryanair-take-30981902
