Ryanair has introduced restrictive new rules on luggage that risk upsetting passengers.
The budget airline said customers will only be able to bring one small piece of luggage into the cabin from November. The bag should be small enough to fit under a seat.
Passengers will have to pay to bring extra baggage into the cabin or stow it.
Up to 95 customers per flight can pay £6 ($7.70) when they book for priority boarding and the ability to bring a 10kg (22lb) bag in the cabin. Another option is to pay £8 ($10.30) to check a 10kg bag.
Ryanair (RYAAY) he said the policy was changed to reduce delays and he doesn’t expect to make any additional money. It previously allowed passengers to bring a small personal bag into the cabin and store a 10kg bag free of charge.
Ryanair is known for low fares and an ethos that is not at all pleasant. It operates more than 2,000 flights a day and carries around 130 million passengers a year.
It has been hit by higher costs and a series of strikes in recent months as pilot unions try to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with the airline.
David Bentley, chief airport analyst at CAPA — Center for Aviation, warned that the new baggage policy could upset passengers.
“The whole process is very ‘messy’ with more and more regulations and that’s not going to satisfy leisure travelers very much,” he said.
Analysts said the new baggage policy is among the most restrictive in the industry.
“This is a potential game changer for passengers and the industry if Ryanair can maintain its fee structure,” said Rob Byde, aviation analyst at investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald.
“The airline is clearly trying to reduce cabin congestion, but it also has its eye on a lucrative new revenue stream,” he said.
Unions representing Ryanair pilots say they are seeking better working conditions. Airline pilots and crew are not provided with free food or drink, for example.
“Ryanair expects all its people to pay for their drinks and snacks either in the staff canteen or on board. This is a ‘low-cost’ airline, not a ‘free meal,'” the company said in an email to CNN . .
CNNMoney (London) First published August 24, 2018: 9:55 am ET
