Ryanair Cracks Down on Oversized Luggage with New Incentives

Ryanair aims to reduce the number of passengers bringing oversized bags and is considering increasing bonuses for staff for each identified bag that exceeds the rules.

Ryanair is contemplating raising the bonus for staff who identify passengers with oversized luggage. Currently, staff receive €1.50, approximately 17 SEK, per detected bag that exceeds the rules.

The goal is to decrease the number of travelers bringing oversized baggage, which according to CEO Michael O'Leary, leads to delays.

– We are determined to eliminate the problem of oversized bags that delay boarding and are clearly unfair to the over 99 percent of our passengers who comply with our baggage rules, the airline said in a statement.

£1,000 in Fines

Only a small percentage of passengers pay fees for oversized bags, and Ryanair now warns these individuals that they will be fined if they do not follow the rules.

The fee can amount to £75 – nearly 1,000 SEK.

– Our message to the 0.1 percent of passengers is simple; please follow our generous baggage rules, or you will be charged at check-in or the gate.

Ryanair currently allows one small carry-on bag – with a size limited to 40 cm x 20 cm x 25 cm and a weight of ten kilos – per ticket.

However, the airline plans to increase the size of carry-on luggage by 20 percent in conjunction with the EU introducing a new standard, writes BBC. This means Ryanair will accept free carry-on luggage that is one-third larger than the EU's new minimum limit.