How strict are Ryanair on cabin baggage dimensions these days? The limit is 55cm by 40 by 20. Mine fits - except for the handle and wheels which stick out a bit. This is only a short hop to Dublin. Are they likely to accost me prior to boarding and ask for a £50 fee? Or should I play it safe and buy one that fits absolutely?
I fly Ryanair quite a bit (don't tell anyone!) and have never seen any issues. My carry-on is quite compact so I can't say for certain, but as I say I've never seen anyone else having a problem either (sometimes with bags that definitely look too big to me!). The focus tends to be much more on just getting everyone on and getting the plane off asap usually.
I've only flown them infrequently (once or twice a year) - and since they started their "Be nice" approach they seem to have relaxed a bit and weren't bothered even by some OBVIOUSLY oversize bags stuffed to bulging. To be safe, I invested in a Lowe Alpine AT LightFlite rucksack which is the exact dimensions permitted on most LCCs, and I feel if it's on your back they are less likely to target you at the gate. It's also softsided so more easily squished into overhead lockers If you're really worried about being stung at the gate, sometimes Ryanair offer you to check your bag for free on full flights - but obviously you then have the hassle of having to wait for it to reappear on the carousel the other end!
I will take the risk with what I've got. Two of the three dimensions are slightly over by a couple of cm. Thank you!
You're right - that's what they did. The flight was rammed (unsurprisingly) and there was a lady walking along the queue at the gate staring at passenger bags. She stopped by me and handed me a 'free hold bag' tag. Ryanair giving me 'free hold baggage... never thought I'd say that.
Haha, pretty much. A couple of times I've been asked to sit in the emergency exit row, or moved to an empty aisle at the front because of weight distribution.
I managed to snag an emergency exit seat on a Flybe flight last year. When checking in online, I noticed that none of the exit row seats were taken, so saving myself the £20 extra, I chose the aisle seat in the row behind, knowing that someone has to sit in those seats. Sure enough, on boarding I was asked if I'd like to sit in the exit row, and would I be happy to operate the exit if needed.
Good news! No dreaded "on the spot" fine. To be fair - I've never had to wait too long for the bags to appear on the carousel the other end - usually helped out by having to spend additional time waiting for the beloved UKBA who have helpfully decided to only open 4 e-Gates for all UK/EU Passport holders arriving off about 6 flights............!
Yes, UKBA can be extremely helpful when it comes to reducing the amount of time you need to spend waiting by the baggage carousel...
Just in case if anyone reads this thread - these days you can take on board only one small bag 40cm x 20cm x 25cm and with priority boarding one additional bag 55x40x20(max 10kg).
