February 25, 2025, 3:58 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
It is a well-known fact that Ryanair does not stand for the highest level of travel comfort; a booking is particularly attractive due to the seemingly low ticket prices. However, it is important to be careful. This is because the low-cost airline charges unexpected fees at various points, which generate additional revenue for it — at the expense of the traveler. In this context, TRAVELBOOK takes a closer look at Ryanair’s quite unusual hand baggage regulations. In many cases, it may not even qualify as carry-on baggage.
When looking for the cheapest possible flights, there is often no getting around Ryanair. The base transportation costs are significantly lower compared to other airlines, but that’s before you factor in the cost of additional baggage. If you don’t do this, the whole thing can quickly become even more expensive. Theoretically, it would, therefore, be smart to purchase supposed hand luggage at the time of booking in order to avoid additional costs at the airport. Theoretically! Because then Ryanair has another ace up its sleeve.
Overview
Baggage Fees and More Revenue Tricks at Ryanair
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has often argued that the low-cost airline has no other option than to generate additional revenue — for example, by charging extra for baggage — in order to be able to offer permanently low ticket prices. This often works. And sometimes it doesn’t. Just a few months ago, Ryanair had to refund around 1.5 million euros to customers who were affected by unlawful additional check-in fees between 2021 and 2023.
Charges for additional baggage are nothing new. If you want to avoid this but take a bag into the cabin, you must limit yourself to a small piece of luggage measuring 40 x 20 x 25 centimeters that fits under the seat in front. Passengers for whom this is not sufficient should purchase additional luggage at the time of booking. If, on the other hand, you spontaneously try to take a normal trolley bag with you at the airport — which is possible free of charge with most other airlines — this can cause problems at the Ryanair counter. This applies, in particular, to passengers who have not booked the additional “Priority Boarding” fare. This literally means “early boarding” and, therefore, allows earlier access to the aircraft. It also affects how much baggage can be taken into the cabin.
Hand Baggage Only for Ryanair Passengers with Priority Boarding
At this point, it is worth remembering the changes made to Ryanair’s baggage regulations in 2018. Since then, only passengers who have booked priority boarding are allowed to take an additional larger piece of hand baggage (55 x 40 x 20 centimeters and weighing up to 10 kilograms) into the cabin in addition to a small one. All others would have to pay if they exceeded this limit. However, this does not mean that the hurdle has been overcome.
Standard fare passengers may book an additional piece of hand baggage for a fee, but then still not take it into the cabin. Your “hand” baggage will be treated by Ryanair as 10-kilogram checked baggage and transported in the cargo hold.
“Prio” Fare Is Often Cheaper Than Baggage Drop-Off
The only questionable option for bringing a trolley onto the plane is to book priority boarding. But in reality, the concept of ‘priority’ doesn’t hold much weight. A TRAVELBOOK author had a similar experience when — like her — the majority of passengers on a Ryanair flight took advantage of the seemingly higher-priced additional fare. Upon further calculation, priority boarding often turns out to be the more economical choice. In the case in question, this cost around 8 euros, while dropping the suitcase in the hold would have cost up to 10 euros. The collective calculation skills meant that the priority queue was more than twice as long as that for passengers with a standard booking. “I had to fight to get a place for my suitcase in the overhead bin despite the fare,” she reported.
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How Does Ryanair Explain Its Absurd Hand Baggage Policy?
A few years have passed since 2018. And despite the absurdity of it all, Ryanair has not changed its hand baggage regulations. Is there perhaps a deeper meaning behind this? Is it perhaps for technical reasons, or does it offer a different kind of added value in banning hand luggage from the aircraft cabin? The answer is not straightforward. When asked by TRAVELBOOK, Ryanair explained somewhat evasively that it is important for the safety, comfort, and convenience of passengers that airlines restrict baggage in the cabin. A spokesperson for the airline describes the amount of hand baggage allowed for all Ryanair passengers as “generous and sufficient” to accommodate the most important and essential personal items.