Ryanair is to reduce its charges for checking in bags as well increasing the check-in weight allowance.
The Irish low-cost carrier is raising the check-in allowance from 15 kilograms to 20 kilograms, as well reducing the check-in bag fee from £35 to £25.
The move is being made because Ryanair’s current policy of allowing two free cabin bags has meant that there is not enough overhead storage space in the aircraft, which is causing boarding and flight delays.
As part of the policy change, which will be implemented for flights from November 1 onwards, only Ryanair’s Priority Boarding passengers will still be allowed to take two carry-on bags onboard the aircraft.
Other passengers with two bags will have their larger piece of luggage placed in the hold at the gate with no additional charge.
Ryanair’s chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: “These bag policy changes will cost Ryanair over €50 million per annum in reduced checked bag fees.
“However, we believe offering bigger bags at reduced fees will encourage more customers to consider checking-in a bag, which will reduce the high volume of customers we have with two carry-on bags at the boarding gates, which is causing flight delays due to large numbers of gate bag and cabin bag offloads.
“We hope that by restricting non-priority customers to one small carry-on bag – their wheelie bag must be placed in the hold, free of charge at the boarding gate – this will speed up the boarding of flights and eliminate flight delays being caused by not having sufficient overhead cabin space on busy flights.”
Rob Gill
