Ryanair passenger told to pay £117 or 'don't fly' to Manchester Airport

A couple were left seething after they were hit with a €140 (£119.31) luggage fine on a recent flight to Mancheser Airport, despite having purchased what they believed were 'Ryanair approved' bags.

David C and his partner were flying back to Manchester from Palma Majorca Airport in Spain when they were confronted with the unexpected charge, even though they had paid extra money to get specially designed bags that would comply with the airline's size restrictions.

The pair, who had been enjoying a relaxing break in Majorca, encountered what they described as unhelpful and digruntled Ryanair staff at the boarding gate in Palma Airport. "We were asked to step out of the line and place one of our new, compliant, 9kg, 20cm bags into the metal measuring frame," David recounted. They were then informed by the gate agent that their bags were too large, reports the Mirror.

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The Cheshire-based couple were dismayed to be told they would each have to fork out €70.00 (£59.65) for their bags, with the staff member insinuating that they would likely pay up because they "probably want to be on the flight".

David quoted the staff member as saying: "Nineteen years in the business and I know when a bag is oversized. I can see it from a mile away... Pay or don't fly."

Having previously passed through Manchester Airport without any issues at the beginning of their holiday, David found the remarks to be "stressful and totally unnecessary." He lamented: "We had no choice as the flight was closing at this stage but to hand them a debit card and pay €140.00. I have never felt so intimidated. It spoilt our day."

Adding to their frustration, the couple observed a Ryanair crew member in a dispute with another pair over suitcases that had an extendable middle section, causing them not to fit into the airline's bag checker. After removing some clothes from their bags and carrying them, the other couple was allowed to board the plane without any issues.

Once airborne, it was announced by the crew that there were no trolleys on board, meaning no food, drinks or even water would be available for the duration of the flight. David recounted how one passenger suffering from a headache was given water from a sink in the plane's toilet.

"I'll do everything I can to avoid Ryanair in the future," David declared.

A spokesperson for Ryanair responded: "These passengers booked a priority fare for this flight from Palma to Manchester (24 May), which allowed each of them to carry a small personal bag and a 10kg cabin bag onboard. As their cabin bags exceeded the permitted size, they were correctly charged a standard gate baggage fee of €69.99 by the third-party gate agent at Palma Airport to place their oversized bags in the hold."

Whether there is inconsistency in the restrictions across different airports remains uncertain, but David certainly felt this was the case. "Their attitude suggests that we need them more than they need us... Unsuspecting customers should be forewarned and book elsewhere, if they can," David concluded.

Ryanair's cabin luggage policy is as follows:.

"All our fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you. If you need additional baggage allowance, there are various options available to you.1: Cabin Baggage:Priority and 2 Cabin Bags:This allows you to carry a small personal bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you and a 10kg bag (55x40x20cm) onboard, to be stored in the overhead locker. It also allows you to board the plane first using the Priority Boarding queue at the gate."

David purchased a COOLIFE Cabin Suitcase 55X40X20cm from Amazon, which was advertised as 'Ryanair approved' and backed by numerous customer reviews stating its use on Ryanair flights.

COOLIFE has been approached for a response.