[dropcap]R[/dropcap]yanair are considering getting rid of their two bag allowance to stop people abusing the system, according to Chief Financial officer Neil Sorahan.
The company currently allow one cabin bag as well as a small bag or handbag, a system that means people don’t have to pay to bring a small suitcase on.
Ryanair are renowned for their cheap flight prices, making them a favourite amongst students and those on a budget. Previous flight sales have included return flights to the UK for four euro making it cheaper to fly abroad than a return trip on Dublin Bus.
When a flight is full and cabin baggage space is limited, airlines will often offer to place it in the hold baggage for free, a fee that ranges from €10 to €40 when booked online in advance.
Complaints have been made about people abusing the system and bringing bags larger than the allowance in hope that their bags will be put under the plane for free.
There’s nothing worse than being stuck at the end of the queue to board a flight, then realise when you get to your seat that there’s no space left in the hold area above. In an interview with BBC Radio Five Live, Sorahan admitted that Ryanair was a “victim of its own niceness”.
By getting rid of the free second bag, Ryanair would be putting a stop to delayed take offs and larger bags, but they would potentially lose a lot of business.
Competitor airlines like Cityjet and Aer Lingus also offer a free cabin bag, but their flight prices are typically much higher. This will have a negative impact on broke students looking to go on cheap weekend breaks abroad.
Many say that you get what you pay for, but for a forty-minute flight over to Manchester, paying an extra forty quid for a small suitcase will definitely hinder many students travel plans should the proposal be put in place.
Rachel Farrell