Ryanair Plans to Increase Staff Bonuses for Spotting Oversized Cabin Bags
Ryanair is considering increasing the bonus it pays to staff who spot passengers attempting to bring oversized bags on board, as the airline continues its crackdown on non-compliant hand luggage.
Currently, Ryanair employees receive a €1.50 incentive each time they identify a bag that exceeds the airline’s cabin baggage allowance. However, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said this figure could be raised in a bid to curb what he described as the “scourge of oversized bags”.
“We are determined to eliminate the scourge of oversized bags which delay boarding and are clearly unfair on the over 99% of our passengers who comply with our baggage rules,” the airline stated.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Leary confirmed that Ryanair is actively considering increasing the bonus to further encourage enforcement of baggage limits. “That’s one of the reasons we are so aggressive about eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage,” he said.
Ryanair emphasised that only a small fraction, approximately 0.1%, of travellers are responsible for attempting to carry oversized luggage, yet the impact on operations can be significant. “Our message to those 0.1% of passengers is simple: please comply with our generous bag rules or you will be charged at check-in or at the gate.”
Passengers found with bags exceeding their free allowance can face on-the-spot fees of up to £75, depending on the route and date of travel. The standard allowance with every Ryanair ticket currently includes one small bag measuring up to 40cm x 20cm x 25cm and weighing no more than 10kg that is to be placed under the seat in front of you.
This will soon change, however, with updated EU regulations introducing a new minimum standard of 40cm x 30cm x 20cm for cabin bags. Ryanair customers can still pay for additional carry-on luggage when booking, with a further 10kg suitcase measuring up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, to be stored in the overhead locker.
Mr O’Leary added that the company uses in-airport baggage “sizers” to check compliance and noted that more than 99.9% of customers follow the rules correctly. He also highlighted that incentivising staff with a share of baggage-related fees is an effective enforcement tool, though he anticipates the need for it will lessen over time.
The airline’s comments come as Ryanair reports a surge in quarterly profits, with post-tax earnings for April to June rising to €820 million, up from €360 million during the same period last year. This performance was boosted by favourable Easter travel timing and increased fare revenues.
While Ryanair expects average summer fares to remain in line with those of 2023, Mr O’Leary said the airline hopes to improve profitability through tighter cost control measures.
Tourists and residents travelling from the Canary Islands are reminded to check their baggage allowances carefully before heading to the airport to avoid any unexpected charges or delays at boarding.
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