Ryanair says its passengers are 'taking the piss' by exploiting this loophole in baggage allowances

pulse

July 25, 2017 10:53 AM

"It’s the people coming with the kitchen sink that could change the policy."

Travellers on budget airlines like Ryanair are finding ways to bring more luggage into aircraft cabins in order to avoid paying for checked bags.

Ryanair bosses said that some are even having toddlers drag suitcases on board to avoid the charges, which can cost more than a seat on the plane.

Speaking at the company's Q1 financial results press conference in London on Monday, Ryanair's chief financial officer, Neil Sorahan, said the airline was considering reviewing its second bag allowance since passengers are starting to exploit the second bag rules, the Guardian reports.

"I've seen two-year-olds wheeling a bag up to the plane as people try to take advantage," he said.

"We're very generous with our cabin baggage allowance; a 10kg case and a second small carry-on. If everyone does that there's no issue. It's the people coming with the kitchen sink that could change the policy."

Both adults and two-year-olds alike can bring a 10kg suitcase on board as well as a second small bag, according to The Guardian. A one-year-old's cabin allowance can also "account for up to 5kg of the family's total packing."

The company said that fewer than one in six passengers now pays for a checked bag on Ryanair as a way to cut costs. Prices for checked luggage can go up to £90 for a 20kg suitcase on a return short-haul summer flight, according to The Guardian.

When asked if passengers were "taking the piss," Sorahan said: "Some are... The vast majority of people play by the rules but some don't. Unfortunately some bring massive backpacks and things that don't fit under the seat."

With fares falling as low-budget airlines compete to fill their seats — Ryanair is forecasting a further 7% fall in the next 12 months following a 13% drop in average fares from 2016 to 2017 — the airline said its profits are suffering. However, its profits over the last three months rose am impressive 55% to €443.7 million, up from €286.5 million the same time last year.

Sorahan said: "We've been a little bit lax or nice — we are victims of our own niceness."

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