Ryanair increases luggage fees by 50%
Ryanair is to increase the fees it charges to check in bags and sporting equipment by up to 50% from 1 October.
The cost of checking in a bag online will go up from £10 to £15, and at the airport from £20 to £30.
The fee for sports equipment will also rise, from £30 to £40 if booked online and £50 if paid at the airport.
However, the no-frills airline is also changing its baggage policy to allow passengers to carry up to two bags of 15kg (33lbs) each, before incurring excess baggage charges of £15 a kilogram.
Ryanair defended the charges which, it said, enabled the airline to keep fares low.
“These baggage fees are all avoidable by all passengers who choose to travel with carry-on luggage only,” said a spokesman for the airline. “Over 70% of Ryanair passengers will be totally unaffected by these changes as they already travel with just one carry-on bag, which is free of charge.”
It is the latest airline to either increase luggage charges or cut the number of bags passengers can take on board free of charge in recent months.
British Airways and a number of transatlantic carriers recently announced that passengers will only be allowed to carry one holding bag for free, with additional items costing just over £30, with the exact amount varying with each airline.
Similar restrictions are operated on short-haul flights by all airlines, although budget carriers charge more for luggage while trying to keep the cost of the ticket itself low.
Source:worldtravelguide.net
