Low-cost airline Ryanair has recently reduced the amount of baggage non-priority travellers can take on board to just one small personal bag*, promising a decrease in boarding delays but a £25 fee if passengers bring a second bag to the gate. Passengers can avoid this fee by paying £6 for the benefits of priority boarding, which also allows a second bag on board.

However, with priority boarders now accounting for more than half of the total passengers on board Ryanair flights**, many travellers may be left asking if ‘priority’ has now become the majority. To help savvy travellers plan ahead and avoid unexpected baggage fees at the airport, Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) has put together a table comparing the priority passes and luggage allowance policies of 10 airlines.

Available in the Know Before You Go Section of the APH website at www.aph.com/lowcostairlines, the research looks at the hand luggage and priority boarding policies of 10 low-cost airlines, including easyJet, Ryanair and Flybe and compares the size and weight allowances of luggage permitted for priority and non-priority customers. The research also lists benefits of paying extra for priority boarding and the costs for checking-in luggage before and after the initial time of booking.

Of the 10 airlines researched, two airlines ask that non-priority passengers board an aircraft with one personal bag only: Ryanair and Wizz Air. The personal bag must fit under the seat in front and examples include a handbag, small backpack or laptop bag. Travellers can add a cabin bag to their booking by paying an extra charge of £6 for priority boarding on Ryanair flights or from an additional fee of £4.50 when flying with Wizz Air.

For those travelling for longer than a few days, four airlines allow non-priority passengers to board an aircraft with one personal bag and one cabin bag as standard, including Eurowings and Norwegian Air. easyJet and Jet2 were found the offer the largest allowance for a cabin bag, with maximum dimensions of 56cm x 45cm x 25cm and a maximum weight limit of 10kg. Overpackers should make a note to weigh their hand luggage before travelling, since although the majority of airlines provide a weight limit of 10kg, those flying with TUI Airways who have not booked a package holiday are limited to carrying just 5kg of hand luggage.

Travellers who wish to travel with numerous liquids or larger luggage should consider paying the extra fee for hold luggage at the time of booking, since the price of checking-in luggage increases greatly once a flight booking is confirmed. For example, Eurowings doubles the cost for checking-in luggage from £13 to £26 for those who have already confirmed their booking.

For travellers who wish to travel with additional luggage and also fly past airport security, purchasing a priority ticket may prove beneficial and these are offered by nine of the airlines researched. For example, easyJet Plus members who pay an annual fee of £199 are permitted to travel with an extra small personal bag and take advantage of priority boarding and seat selection. Similarly, along with a fast-track security pass and priority boarding, Thomas Cook Airlines’ Priority Package for £10 ensures priority bags are unloaded first onto the baggage belt at the destination airport.

For further information on Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) visit www.aph.com
or call 01342 859515.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS
* Information taken from Ryanair’s website in January 2019: www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/Baggage/cabin-bag-policy.

** According to The Telegraph in November 2018: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/ryanair-baggage-rules-charges-december/.

About Airport Parking and Hotels (APH)
Established in 1980, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is an award-winning airport parking operator and retailer, winning the ‘Best Airport Parking Company’ award at the British Travel Awards 2018 for a ninth year running. In addition to APH’s own car parks serving Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham Airports, APH also offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels, airport lounges and via trusted partners other extras such as car hire and travel insurance.

APH is a carbon-balanced company having worked closely with the World Land Trust for many years to off-set their carbon emissions and to help support rainforest conservation by protecting threatened forest habitats. APH also supports other charities and is a proud corporate sponsor of the University of Southampton Centre for Cancer Immunology, where the world’s most eminent experts come together in the quest to find new and innovative treatments. APH also has a partnership with Action Medical Research for Children to raise vital funds for research through a series of staff-based cycle and running challenges.

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