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AN AVIATION INDUSTRY source has criticised Ryanair today after the airline defended itself against comments from MEPs in Brussels about its carry-on luggage policy.
In a statement today the low cost airline said its one bag rule was necessary for safety reasons and rejected the claims of “poorly briefed MEPs” in the European Parliament yesterday as false.
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
The inaccurate claims made by some MEP’s yesterday that Ryanair’s free of charge carry-on bag policy was designed to “generate revenues” were absurd and untrue. The purpose of Ryanair’s free of charge 10kgs carry-on bag is to allow passengers to avoid our checked in bag fees.
However a spokesperson for Ryanair confirmed this afternoon that the airline has entered into a commercial agreement with Manchester airport and a number of other airports to allow passengers to bring additional hand luggage on board.
As part of the agreement passengers can bring an extra bag of airport purchases on the plane with them. The spokesperson asserted that this did not contradict the airline’s claim that the rule was enforced for safety reasons as it is “closely monitored and can be removed at any time”.
An aviation industry source told TheJournal.ie that the company’s operation of a different set of criteria for its one bag rule at different airports “makes a mockery of any claim that the rule is related to safety.”
“A passenger flying from Manchester to Brussels-Charleroi can take an extra bag of airport shopping on board a Ryanair plane in Manchester but that same passenger returning with Ryanair from Brussels-Charleroi to Manchester can’t do so in Brussels,” the source said.
Some 75 per cent of Ryanair’s passengers now travel without any checked bags which the airline said reduces revenues and their costs.
Earlier the airline said this means that on a regular basis, all of the overhead lockers and the storage space under the seats are fully used, and Ryanair can not allow a second carry-on bag to be brought on board for passenger safety reasons.
“Ryanair’s one carry-on bag rule cannot be changed for safety reasons,” McNamara said. “It would be helpful if these MEP’s made some basic attempt to understand Ryanair’s safety and low fare policies before making false and inaccurate claims in the European parliament.”
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From the air line that wanted to charge for the toilets
Anyone with half a brain knows that was an obvious PR stunt!
Reference to that publicity stunt is irrelevant.
I wish Ryanair ran the world. Life is so much easier when thinks are done correctly.
No thanks, they’d charge ye for the oxygen
How exactly do you define “correctly”?
Come on out Michael O’ Leary, we all know it’s you
Ryanair would charge you to edit thinks to “things”.
Actually, Ryanair would charge you for coming on to the site, then charge you for logging in, then charge you for the comment.
Charge for everything but its still the cheapest option out there…Why the moaning
I don’t particularly like Ryanair but seems like most are too ready to jump in and condemn them.
I don’t think I have ever been on a flight where the overhead compartments aren’t full. I’m sure plenty here would complain if they had no room for their bags if somebody ahead of them had shoved 2 into the space above them!
And if you’ve been on an Aer Lingus flight lately you’ll be familiar with cabin crewing trying to help find over head space as too many people bring luggage the size of the Mir Spacestation, and nothing else fits. Complete waste of everyone’s time except the muppets who don’t want to check in their large bags and save 15 minutes in the luggage hall. I always carry no more than a small laptop bag and I’ll be sitting on the wing before I put it under the seat in front of me to make way for some collosos in the overheads.
I would agree with Ryanair except on one point.
Why can other airlines allow heavier carry on luggage?
Are these airlines not concerned with passenger safety as much as Ryanair?
Ryanair have less room in their cabins. Their planes carry more passengers than most other airlines. Hence the smaller seats etc. This means more luggage is being carried in the cabin. I’ve been on Ryanair flights were there hasn’t been enough room to store all the baggage in the the overhead and some of us had to sit with our luggage at our feet for an uncomfortable few hours. Maybe it’s to prevent this. If people don’t like it they shouldn’t fly with Ryanair.
Gareth
I thank you for pointing out that the lower carry on luggage allowance on Ryanair is for safety resons.
I thank you for further confirming that these safety resons are caused by Ryanairs own business plan, more people per aircraft, therefore less luggage per aircraft.
So by extension MEP Paul Murphy is partly correct? That being 1 bag per passenger is a safety issue because Ryanair cram more people (hence more weight) into the each of their aircraft.
Of course they are Carcu.
Ryanair use the penalty fee for ‘overweight’ carry-on bags to wrap pillows around them and make them cuddly and ‘safe’. See! And you thought it was a revenue raising scheme! Bless.
No problem Carcu, you’re welcome.
In addition you can carry more than 1 bag with Ryanair but you must pay for any extra. For that extra cost you might be better off flying with another airline or you might not. Whether you believe in their policies or not the choice to fly with them is up to you. I know they’ve made travelling for me much easier anyway.
If you don’t like Ryanair, don’t fly with Ryanair.
Ryanair look on luggage as just another revenue stream. They charge €15 to €25 for carry-on luggage but don’t actually have enough space in their overhead lockers for the amount of passengers they cram into their planes. So pasengers having paid a premium for what should be free have to sit uncomfortably with bags under their feet. At the boarding gate Ryanair staff hover like vultures hoping to catch passengers with over the limit or oversized bags and fleece their victims with exorbitant fees. For this O’Leary gives his staff a miniscule commission. The people who sing this man’s praises are very naive and if he ever gets his hands on Aer Lingus and gets the monopoly he craves God help the travelling public.
If you don’t like them don’t use them simple.
Facetious remarks. When there’s 100 quid between a Ryanair fare and aer Lingus, you might not have much of a choice. Doesn’t mean you have to like it
Marina, if I was saving 100 euros I’d be very happy.
All bus/train operators don’t require a bag check in. Don’t see why the airlines need it employ three people weigh and put your bag underneath as you board. Simples.
The planes in use aren’t designed for people to accompany their own luggage and there will always be an additional fee when asking staff to handle and stow your luggage for you. it would be a security risk to allow just anyone access to stow their own luggage, like you’re suggesting. Simples.
Airlines have maximum take off limits. Also they are charged route charges on the basis of weight. Further the amount of fuel needed varies considerably based on the weight of the plane. That’s why the bags need to be weighed.
It is in fact a safety issue. The overhead bins should not exceed a maximum weight. However Ryan Air were the ones who introduced extortionate charges for checked baggage so it stands to reason that people want to carry on more.
The EU should address price transparency rather than the size of carry on luggage.
Disagree you would still have to get past security at departures in the same way. Just how exactly would you smuggle stuff in?? Not so simples.
@Colin Quinn
But Ryanair don’t weigh hand luggage on Dublin, therefore this safety crap can’t be true.
So, what’s the difference between carrying your hand luggage on to the plane or carrying your hold luggage to the plane for stowing? None!
Ciaran, hold luggage is examined (x-rayed) separately to carry on luggage for a number of reasons. After you sent it for x-ray where would you pick it back up? You could not accompany it airside for examination.
The reason why Ryanair have the problem of cabin baggage in the first place is that they charged for it in the hold so the ” so called problem ” just moved . Natural people were going to take on more as hand luggage . So making things more cluttered than before . As to the 75% figure ?? Maybe ? Maybe not but on short haul people will improvise. Next the size of the allowance will get smaller ” in the name of safety ” all putting more Squeeze .. Only time you feel like backing Europe of late ..
Irrelevant. Read above.
Stop calling people’s comments “irrelevant”. They’re opinions. You got yours, let everyone else have theirs.
I have opinions on other irrelevant things too, so I’ll keep those to myself…
You still haven’t answered my question Mr Relevant.
No-one makes anyone fry with Ryanair.
I saw gate staff in Alicante charge disabled passengers over €100 for various small bags they used to carry their medicines etc. Why do they insist ladies have to stuff their handbag into the carry-on? It is revenue raising IMHO. Spanish airports now have signs saying it is illegal for airlines to insist airport purchases should be put into carry-ons. Ryanair Ts&Cs insist the single carry on must be used for handbags, cameras, laptops, duty free etc. They then make this worse by not being consistent in implementation across their network.
This might sound mad but I believe Ryanair. The overhead bins are always jammed
Yes,and Jesus was nailed to the cross because they were afraid he would fall down!
I can see the sense in restricting it to one bag and the size of it. Even with that rule, it’s sometimes difficult to fit everything overhead.
But from the way they weigh carry-on down to the hectogram, it’s obvious that’s a moneymaking tactic.
Then can Ryanair please explain why one can carry a tax free shopping bag in addition to hand luggage at Manchester, Bristol and Frankfurt airports to name a few, and not at other airports such as Dublin?
Isn’t that what he said?
Article was updated after my comment. :)
What annoys me is that in my experience its got nothing to do with weight. A couple of times I’ve just had a handbag but bought something in duty free and have then been made try to shove it all into one bag while ppl wheel huge cases past me at the gate
You agreed to their Terms & Conditions when you booked the flight. Get over it.
I’m well over it Enda and as a result I don’t fly with Ryanair unless I have no other option (this hasn’t happened so far there’s always other options). My point was that it was not a H&S reason as I was carrying significantly less than the others with one case
“Ryanair’s free of charge carry-on bag policy”. “Ryanair’s free of charge 10kgs carry-on bag is to allow passengers to avoid our checked in bag fees”.
George Orwell would have loved Ryanair’s newspeak. It’s not free of charge policy but rather a charge for everything but a tiny item policy. Ryanair make every effort to catch unfortunate passengers and force them to check in items they could obviously take elsewhere, just for the sake of increasing their profit. If they could, Ryanair would charge for taking shoes on board.
They might have a point if they didn’t station hawk-eyed staff at the boarding gates ready to raise revenue on the basis of a slightly heavier the. 10kg bag.
The fact that the hand luggage limit is this low at 10Kg undermines their position.
Lie lie lie. Mr McNamara, please explain why we can carry on to a Ryanair flight, tax free shopping in an airport shopping bag in addition to hand luggage at Manchester, Bristol and Frankfurt, to name a few?????
Tax Free shopping within the EU doesn’t exist! It was abolished over 10 years ago. So the theory that these goods need to be exported on to aircraft is nonsense. The only reason it works this way is for real duty-free sales to non-EU countries and less than 10% of RA flights are non-EU flights. These mostly go to the Canary Islands where is would be cheaper to buy goods than the UK or Ireland, so no need to carry them on-board. As an aside did you know that airports have 61% of the travel (duty-free) shopping market and airlines only 7%. So why would MEP’s wish to protect airport retail when it has such a dominant share of the market?
Typically robust response from the people who bring you massive savings. We should be on our knees thanking them…Hail St Michael of the Sky’s !!
We all complain about Ryanair but most of us fly with them.I think if you prepare for your journey you won’t have a problem.. I have had two breaks lately from Cyprus to Spain and Italy with them, were as I could not afford it with the Cypriot national carrier.. Let’s se if morocco will be next.
I fly with Ryanair because they’re generally much cheaper than Aer Lingus, I actually enjoy the challenge they provide. The sense of achievement one has, when you arrive safely back home, after bringing your wife and 4 kids on holiday to Spain, and have managed to avoid paying extra luggage or priority boarding charges, is a complete buzz!!!!
The one bag rule is well and fine for the likes of lance Armstrong but I have 2 bags
If the duopoly between Are Lingus & BA still existed it would cost €500 return to London. Is that not a FAR bigger pits? People vote with their money and Ryanair won. I often bring a sandwich. If you don’t like their food, don’t eat it, surely you can last an hour or so.
One bag rule to rule them all.
Joke of an airline and an accident waiting to happen, as long as there’s an alternative I’d rather pay the extra couple of euro to fly in comfort
Can’t see how you can claim that over and above any other airline.
I don’t understand why most people are so ready to criticize Ryanair. What’s wrong with 10kg rule? If you respect their T&C you’re fine. We always give out how they charge you for everything. That’s b…sh.t. What’s the cabin bag allowance for Aerlingus? 10kg (sic), Can you book a seat for free with Aerlingus? No (sic), do you have to pay for everything on board with Aerlingus? Yes. Do they charge you for using your credit card? Yes, and so on… Ok you don’t have to print boarding card yourself…big deal, it’s only a sheet of paper.
People get frustrated when they’re being charged if the show up without one….for crying out loud it’s a flight you booked not a bus ride so it’s done well in advance and needs more preparation just as you remember to bring your passport it’s as easy to remember to bring a ticket.
I don’t user Ryanair all the time but never had problems when i do.
Besides…Wizzair has even worse policy 8kg, Cityjet..has a policy and so on. So they’re not the only ones.
Get a life
Don’t like it? Don’t use them.
Vote with your €
Becasue what we need when the Eurozone is in financial dire straits is some spurious legislation about what bags you can take on a plane.
I used to use them twice weekly Cork Dublin when they had that route you walked to Co Meath to the terminal (pre the Terminal 2 ghost town) you took your bag with you and it was hilarious everyone brought double bed sized suitcases into the flight I was surprised someone wasn’t injured regularly from flying luggage on landing but once they asked me to stuff my lovely handbag into my trolley bag because of their new one bag ruleI stopped using them to travel abroad
using Brussels-Charleroi is a bad example -security there is a law onto itself. I’ve been traveling there to visit my mum for the last 7 years using the same carry on bag without a problem. Last year I was stopped in Charleroi and made pay for the bag -have travelled back since and not been stopped -depends on what grumpy fu*ker is working that day!
Hahaha hahaha hahaha hahaha.
Oh my, what a great joke.
Michael is so funny, at times!
Or just do what these girls did and wear every item of clothing in your carry-on in order to reduce the weight!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OO_zUw8AiA&sns=em
my dad did that once literally wore 2 pairs of trousers, 2 tshirts, 3jumpers -he looked like the Michelin man!!
There is a lot of “beef crap” in the news this week
This one bad for safety reason is a complete load of bull.
why?
Its simple.
Ryanair (like others maybe) will allow you to carry on more bags if you cough up money (fair enough) but by allowing you to do just that, they are saying “We will drop this safety rule then for the sake on grabbing more money.”
Nice eh?
I like this comment from Ryanair, “…is as absurd as some of these MEP’s claiming to care about consumers, while travelling on high fare airlines at the taxpayers’ expense, he added.”
I think most people naturally try and bring as big a bag as possible. Just use a slightly smaller than regulation size and it fits easily under the seat in front.
Ryan air is the pits really. Everyone knows Michael OLeary would try anything to charge extra, toilets food. You mention it, it’s only has to pop into his balmy head and he spurts it out his mouth. Then tries to pass it… He seems to do everything on the spur of the moment. Always in a rush. A D H D. Is really what he has. He talks a mile to the min. Rubbish most of the time. Marian
I can’t complain with Ryanair. I used to travel between Dublin and Newcastle every week for ?20-30 return. I knew the rules, I followed them, I had no problems.
From experience, the only reason people queue to get on the plane early is so they will get a space in the overhead lockers. Arrive late and you’ve got no chance.
Let’s face facts!! It’s ONLY a matter of time until hand luggage is weighed!!
I fly out to Tenerife with them Monday. I’m dreading the cheap seats but whole trip was very affordable so can’t complain :) Will miss the Irish weather though.
I am just glad that “nice” man Mc Namara is taking the parachute. I nearly crashed the car the last time I heard him on the radio. He obviously did the same PR course as the politicians because he NEVER answers a question, just waffles on ad infinitum about cheap fares, new routes, etc., etc., etc.. I just hope O’Leary rewarded him with a half decent wage for all the bullshit he spouted on behalf of the low standards airline.
Oh Ryanair, your schtick is getting very stale.
Well said Frank!
Complete nonsense and a poor attempt by very amateur EU Politicians to try and look useful and consumer friendly. It was the EU that abolished duty free goods in Europe over 10 years ago… so if they really want to be helpful re-instate it and also find out why our airports don’t work with 2 inches of snow!
Ryanair’s priority is to Shareholders with safety issues being breached by Michael O’Leary regularly .Look at this Ryanair memo in 2011 which put lives of passengers and crew at risk for profit…The public must listen to others who prime interest is safety.. http://ryanairdontcarecrew.blogspot.gr/2013/01/ryanair-mayday-maydaylow-on-fuelprofit.html
Ryanair hold the record for 3 mayday calls all in the very same day which has never happened before,surly a record Ryanair are not proud of..
Four Ryanair pilots whistle blowers came forward explaining how Ryanair work when it comes to extra fuel on board,who are we to not believe these pilots who have put their jobs on the line for speaking out..Respect to all four of them.
As for the IAA, Irish Aviation Authority who continue to fail when it comes to Ryanair issues.Let us not forget 8 former Ryanair employees now work for the IAA…..Time to wake up people and see Ryanair for what they are,cheap flights at the cost of safety and exploitation and social dumping of their cabin crew.
Young Probationary cabin crew at Ryanair are paid less than 10 euro for some flights with up to 60% of new recruits being terminated under 12 months,all paying 3000 euro to train,IT IS CALLED Recruitment for Termination..
http://brandpunt.kro.nl/seizoenen/2013/afleveringen/20-01-2013/fragmenten/confrontatie_met_ryanair
Safety s not priority at Ryanair..You believe or not, Ryanair are Europe’s Greatest Exploiter Of Young cabin crew all paying 3000 to train,with 60% being terminated in first year….Commission for baggage is not paid to cabin crew..Probationary cabin crew are paid less that 10 euro a flight and the public still love Ryanair…Time for you all to wake up,Michael O’Leary has no respect or dignity for cabin crew or pilots…Look here
Video 1 below…
Video 2 below…
This might help clarify Ryanair’s reasoning behind minimising baggage weight:
http://www.journeyman.tv/64834/documentaries/mayday.html
Beware of low-cost flights.
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