ryanair baggage allowance

[steveyk]

I just flew with Ryanair from Stansted to Santander on 10/02/06. We waited ages to check in. The cause of the hold up was because 2 people were flying, and their baggage allowance was 15kg each. Therefore a total of 30kg. BUT, the passengers had packed 30kg into ONE bag, and Ryanair would not accept it. They said that you had to have 2 seperate bags weighing 15kg each!!!!! OR they would charge them 15kg excess baggage at something like �5.50 per kilo, even though they were still taking only 30kg!!! Why is that????? We had the same problem when we flew with Air France to Mauritius

[dzug]

Coz it's Ryanair, that's why. They do what they want. They think they are a bus service and do not want to carry luggage.

They've just introduced this rule with next to no publicity. Most other airlines do allow pooling.

All airlines have a maximum weight per bag, (even if you are paying an excess) but I think that is 32kg.

[Drisgirl]

I raised this a couple of weeks ago and was poo-pooed.

I thought - I shall just bide my time and I'll bet there will be more complaints.Other airlines will follow suit - they are waiting to see the flak Ryanair get.It was on the news just a couple of days after I posted to say that this summer will be a nightmare with the excess charges. I was basically given the height of cheek for buying a house in Spain.Little did they know we are selling up to go there and we are no different to other people.

Low cost Airlines - show me one!!

[Buenchico]

Why do people complain simply because they can't be bothered to read the conditions which apply to the sale of their tickets. Ryanair's rules about baggage are made very clear on their website:
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&que st=baggageallowance

Baggage handlers are trained to ensure that baggage is loaded in such a way that the weight is properly distributed in the hold. (A few bags in the wrong place can add hundreds of pounds to the fuel bill). Ryanair keep their fares to a minimum by allowing a maximum of 15 minutes to off-load a full hold of luggage and re-load the hold for the next flight. (Flights are normally scheduled to have commenced taxi-ing for take-off only 25 minutes after landing). They don't have time to start moving over-weight bags around; just a single over-weight bag can add to the fuel bill and is therefore charged as excess baggage.

Stop knocking Ryanair. People forget that prior to the existence of 'budget' airlines, a typical return fare to Spain, on a scheduled flight, was about �400. Allowing for inflation, the corresponding price today should be well over �1000. By that standard, a return fare of �500 ought to be considered very cheap but I'd be surprised if Drisgirl is paying more than �100. (I live fairly close to Stansted and often take day trips for 2p + taxes return. I don't have to check in baggage but even if I did, I wouldn't object to being charged, say, �10 per bag).

Chris

PS: If Drisgirl really want's to start worrying about the cost of her flights to Spain, she should take note that the environmental lobby wishes to cut air travel by at least 80%. Minimum one-way taxes of between �100 & �200 have been suggested as a way of doing this.

[SteveD]

But this means that Ryanair would prefer to handle two 15 kg bags rather than one 30 kg one. Surely this is defeating the object of the exercise?

[dzug]

SteveD - I know which I'd rather carry - 2 15kg ones. Have you tried lifting a 30kg case?

Part of the trouble here is that Ryanair have quietly and AFAIK with no publicity changed their policy on pooling (they used to allow it between passengers on the same booking reference) and applied it retrospectively to bookings already made.

There has been rather more publicity about a change coming up whereby they will charge for all checked baggage - but the allownace is going up to 20kg.

[Fitzer]

So two adults and two children will need to have four bags and the handlers will need to move four bags as opposed to two (albeit heavier), which will take longer to move as a handler may only shift one bag at a time. Judging by the number of people with kids I see travelling on Ryanair I think they may be shooting themselves in the foot.

[Bohne]

Had the same problem with Ryanair recently.

Two people in front of me with two suitcases, but one was 12kg and the other 17kg.

They had to shuffle their luggage around until it fit.

I think that's how Ryanair makes its money.

[Drisgirl]

Now Chris - I have a very valid point.We fly out from Prestwick and Ryanair introduced the destination we wanted.We got a return flight last Oct for �50 each - fantastic and very lucky.We are now attempting to book again for March / April (not High Season) and the price is now �450 each return.The cheapest we can get is flying or taking the bus to Stansted and flying to Alicante - which although is only an hour down the motorway defeats the purpose its a bit disconcerting when we are only 5 mins from Murcia (San Xavier).The problem is the other airlines are not competing in Scotland as there is no competition - so they all have high prices.

I'm not having a big pop at Ryanair but we want friends and family to come out and they advertised themselves as Low Cost but they are not always.We flew to Bergano (Milan) with them lasy year as well and got a good price - maybe I should contact them direct and ask about the pricing structure instead of continually putting my head on the block here:)

[steveyk]

Thanks for your responses guys. I'm not having a go at Ryanair, they do provide some real bargains. Its just that I couldnt understand what difference it makes if you have 2x15kg or 1x30kg. The thing that niggled with me was that the details of the baggage allowance aren't flagged at the time you book, and no attention is drawn to it. Most peoples perception would be you have a maximum of 30kg (if 2 persons flying)no matter how its packed, so you dont feel the need to find the terms and conditions for baggage allowance. (Thanks Buenchico, for hunting them down. Hope your Ryanair shares are doing ok ;o) )

Anyway, I shall still fly with them cos they're cheap!!!!!!