Aer Lingus has become the latest airline to introduce a fee for carry-on baggage.
Passengers will no longer be able to carry a bag weighing up to 10kg into the cabin free-of-charge. Customers will now have to purchase priority boarding at a cost of £5.99 to store it in an overhead locker.
The new policy will apply to services in Europe, including the UK, for customers travelling from June 29 onwards. The airline stated that “these changes are being introduced to ensure faster boarding and de-planing, therefore improving overall customer experience”.
The website now states:
“We’ve changed our carry-on bag policy and now offer different ways to bring your 10kg bag on your journey.”
Passengers will be able to check-in the bag for free, and carry a handbag or laptop bag provided that these are small enough to fit beneath the seat in front.
If passengers have not purchased priority boarding, or the bag is not included in their fare, then they will be charged €35 to place the bag in the aircraft hold.
Some of the more expensive fare types (Plus, Advantage and Aer Space) and frequent flyer memberships (Silver, Platinum and Concierge AerClub) include the carry-on bag allowance. Additionally, passengers connecting to or from an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight or one of its partners, or adults accompanying infants, will be able to carry a 10kg bag on board.
The airline adds that customers with a carry-on bag with priority boarding “must check in online or via the app”.
Easyjet restricted its free hand baggage allowance in February, with customers flying on standard fares having to pay an extra fee for an overhead cabin bag. Low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizzair also have similar fees for cabin bags.
Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has postponed its transatlantic services from Manchester which were set to begin on July 29.
