Stricter hand luggage guidelines
Tiktok video revealed: Ryanair could introduce baggage scam penalties
Passengers stand at the Ryanair counter. If you want to smuggle luggage onto the plane in the future, you could be fined for it.
© dpa | Clara Margais / Picture Alliance
Putting several clothes on top of each other or stowing clothes in a pillowcase: There are various tricks for smuggling extra hand luggage onto the plane. However, Ryanair could introduce penalties for luggage tricks in the future, as the airline reveals in a video on Tiktok.
A suitcase is often full faster than one would like. For the passenger, this can mean significant additional costs at the airport. To prevent this from happening, some travelers use tricks to smuggle their extra luggage into the plane unnoticed. But Ryanair wants to keep a closer eye on this in the future. Anyone who does not comply with the baggage regulations could have to dig deep into their pockets.
In a video clip that the airline published on its Tiktok account in mid-September, young women can be seen using these luggage tricks. The footage has been circulating online and shows items of clothing tucked away in a pillowcase and heavily dressed people with numerous clothes. The video also shows a Ryanair machine that was given a moving emoji with an evil grin. In addition, several prices are displayed: 5 euros for a neck pillow, 17.50 euros for an onion look and 24.99 euros for a pillow.
The video clip has been viewed around 2.1 million times (as of Monday afternoon) and has around 147,000 likes. It is not entirely clear whether Ryanair is really serious about the new penalties for luggage tricks. Users also express doubts about the project. One user writes, “I hope this is a joke,” but the airline replies, “Planes can’t tell jokes.” The airline has already shown in the past that luggage tricks have been a thorn in its side for a long time. Published video clips show people at the airport wearing multiple layers of clothing. The airline wrote: “You can’t just get away with it…”
One piece of carry-on baggage, such as a backpack or handbag, is included with all Ryanair fares. However, this must fit under the front seat. A second piece of hand luggage that has been booked must not be heavier than ten kilograms and must not exceed the dimensions of 55 centimeters x 40 centimeters x 20 centimeters. In the case of excess baggage, 11 euros per additional kilogram are due at the airport, and the airline even charges a fee of 69.99 euros for pieces of luggage that are too large.
Ryanair plans to increase fares
On Monday (September 26) the German Press Agency reported that Ryanair would like to raise its fares due to higher fuel prices. “The average price for a Ryanair ticket is likely to rise from 40 to 50 euros in five years,” Germany boss Andreas Gruber told the German Press Agency. This will probably make flying more expensive for customers.
Sources: Tiktok, Ryanair, with dpa material