Ryanair faces passenger complaints over new £45 fee as prices increase

Young girl placed her hand luggage into the compartment on the plane.
-Credit: (Image: getty)


Some frustrated travellers have vowed to “never” fly with budget airline Ryanair again after being hit with increased fees of up to £45. The airline has once again updated its luggage prices, this time hitting passengers with checked-in bags.

The low-cost service is well-known for its strict baggage policies and has bag “sizers” at its airport gates to make sure customers adhere to the rules. Passengers are only entitled to bring a small personal bag on board as part of their ticket price unless they pay more for priority boarding, which permits an additional large cabin bag, or shell out extra for a checked-in bag.

Under the old prices, Ryanair charged between £11.99 and £29.99 to add a 10kg check-in bag at the time of booking. This would rise to between £23.99 and £35.99 to do so afterwards or at the airport on the day of the flight.

But now, as reported by BirminghamLive, the airline's website states that passengers can expect to pay between £9.49 and £44.99 to add a 10kg check-in bag at the time of booking. The exact cost will depend on the route and date of travel, meaning some passengers may pay slightly less than before, but those paying the higher charge will now pay £15 more.

Ryanair has also hiked the fee for adding a 10kg hold bag post-booking or at the airport. This will now cost between £23.99 and £44.99, marking an increase of up to £9 at the higher end.

However, some passengers will be relieved as the cost to add a 20kg check-in bag post-booking has dropped slightly, with prices ranging from £39.99 to £59.99, down from a previous range of £44.99 to £59.9

BirminghamLive reached out for a comment on these price adjustments, but Ryanair did not provide a response. The airline's website states: "Fee varies depending on the route and travel dates selected."

For those who haven't pre-booked a bag, Ryanair's policy allows non-priority customers to purchase a 10kg check-in bag at the airport bag drop desk for €/£ 35.99 to €/£40. If non-priority customers take their 10kg Check-in bag to the boarding gate, they can expect to pay a fee ranging from €/£ 46.00 to €/£ 60.00 to check it in.

This comes as Ryanair had already raised the price range for priority boarding upgrades from between £20 and £38 to a new bracket of £20 to £60. The surge in extra charges has sparked outrage among travellers, with social media users voicing their frustration. Users of X, the site formerly known as Twitter, have been voicing their opinions on Ryanair's baggage charges with mixed reactions.

One post on X from @micha4768 expressed dismay at the costs: "OMG @Ryanair 40 quid for a 10kg hold bag, the absolutely disgusting price wouldn't have been so bad for a 22kg hold, but that is DISGUSTING. I'll never again fly with you."

EddieHa35418086 asked: "@Ryanair why are baggage charges so high?." @Sickboy_Mcsatan warned others, saying: "Just avoid Ryanair if you can, they make EasyJet seem luxurious and customer friendly. They charge extra for *every* little thing, I'll never use them again if there's an alternative."

But some passengers seem unbothered by additional costs because of overall savings, as @IMegy71 mentioned: "I bet it is still cheaper on Ryanair than other airlines, even with the additional charge."