Ryanair has completed the rollout of larger carry-on bag sizers across its 235 airports in Europe, meaning passengers can now bring a bigger free personal bag on board.

New Allowance in Place

From September 4, travellers are permitted to carry a personal bag up to 40 x 30 x 20 cm, which Ryanair says is 33% larger than the EU standard free carry-on size of 40 x 30 x 15 cm.

The bag must still fit under the seat in front, and each passenger is allowed one free carry-on item as part of their ticket.

Why the Change?

The airline first announced the move in July, confirming it would increase the underseat bag allowance by 20% following the European Union’s proposal for new free baggage rules.

Dara Brady, Ryanair’s Chief Marketing Officer, said:

“Ryanair’s new, bigger free carry-on bag is now 33% larger than the EU standard. Our bag sizers at all airports have now been ‘resized’ to accommodate this bigger, free carry-on bag.

All passengers wishing to bring a second carry bag can do so by availing of our Priority Boarding service, and passengers can also purchase check-in bags, should they so wish, during their booking process.

We hope our customers will enjoy these bigger, free carry-on bag sizes, but any passenger who fails to comply with these new generous limits will be required to pay the checked-in bag fee at the boarding gate.”

Ryanair Priority and Checked Bags

Passengers who want to travel with more than one bag can still opt for Priority Boarding, which allows a second cabin bag, or purchase checked luggage during the booking process.

Stricter Enforcement on the Horizon

Despite the increase in free allowance, Ryanair is also set to toughen its stance on oversized bags. From November, bonuses paid to airport staff for each non-compliant carry-on will rise from €1.50 to €2.50, with the previous €80 monthly cap removed, according to Chief Executive Michael O’Leary.

Picture Credit: Canva