Don’t be caught out – because the penalties for overweight bags are immense. If your hand luggage is overweight, on Ryanair you’ll have to put it in the hold as checked baggage, which is a fee of 40 pounds/euros. If you’ve already got a checked bag, here’s where the problems begin: the excess weight is 20 GBP/EUR a kilo, or you’ll have to check in a second bag at a cost of 70 GBP/EUR a kilo.
Ignorance of these rules can be very painful indeed, as I witnessed one day at Stansted with a family hit by a huge fine – presumably more than the cost of the flight. You can argue as much as you want but the choice is simple: pay up, or don’t get on the flight, and worst for the family, there was little they could do about it as it’s all up there on the site beforehand.
Here are some tips to bear in mind to make sure you d0n’t get stung:
1) Be aware of the limits
Already knowing what the limits are in advance of packing things will make you pack in a more sensible manner; better to know it in advance rather than to pack and take things out
2) Assess your baggage
The checked baggage weight INCLUDES the actual baggage itself and not the contents. Therefore an all-metal construction is likely to be half way to the limits already. The same goes for a hand luggage with very heavy wheels or handles. A backpack is probably the lightest way but offers less protection from the elements for fragile items.
3) Lose dead weight
Some things are high density and weigh quite a lot for what the space they take up. Consider whether you really need it, and if you do, think of another way to carry them. The prime contender here are books; a large paperback may weigh over a kilo, which is equivalent to a lot of clothes.
4) Can you wear it?
Some things weigh more than others and it’s not going to look too out of place to carry them. Although the rules now say one piece of hand luggage, no one is going to protest if you have your carry on and a coat draped over your arm as you enter the plane – an easy way of losing weight. The same applies for shoes as well, if you need to stay under the 10kg limit, consider wearing the heavier pair if you are taking two.
5)Weigh it before you leave
Don’t assume that your scales are calibrated the same way as the airports – do check the weight of what you have before you set out. Even a manual non-electronic set of weighing scales will give you a reasonable approximation of what your hand luggage weighs. Better still, invest in a set of electronic ones for more accurate readings. That said, if at the airport there is a big discrepancy, don’t be afraid to challenge this.
6) Electronics
Particularly laptops – which often when combined with their chargers and cases will add up to 3kg. Most low-cost airlines do not include a laptop in your allowance, whereas airlines such as British Airways allow you to take a laptop bag on in addition to the hand luggage. You could check your laptop in, but would you really want the hassle? If you really need the computer, consider downgrading to a mobile phone which has PC-like features, or a netbook, which you may be able to get aboard.
7) Understand the system
There are still raging inconsistencies regarding the weight on hand luggage. Sometimes it’ll be weighed at the gate, sometimes it won’t, sometimes the security will check it for size, sometimes they won’t. A very general rule of thumb is that the more busy the airport, the less likely it is your hand luggage will be weighed, as to do so wastes time. Airports which have only Ryanair as their sole airline may be more inclined to stick to policy
8: Be respectful
That said, a lot of the responsibility for forcing these rules lies with the staff themselves, and you will not lose anything whatsover by being polite, well-dressed and respectful. Someone travelling alone, being polite and minding their own business is very unlikely to get harassed unless your baggage is obviously over the mark.
9) Be realistic
Don’t pack so little that you are forced to compromise on things during your holiday – the saving you make on your flight will be outweighed by the enjoyment of your holiday, and some of the time, it’s not all about pure monetary costs. In many cases apart from the cheapest flights, the lowest prices of full service carriers are a little bit more than the low-costs but when you factor in you get a checked bag free, this might work out to be a better option for you.
Here is a list:
| Ryanair | 10kg | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| Jet2 | 10kg | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| easyjet | No limit | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| British Airways | No limit | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| bmi | No limit | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm |
| Wizz | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 20cm |
| bmibaby | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 20cm |
| Monarch | 10kg | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| Flybe | 10kg | 50cm x 35cm x 23cm |
| Aer Lingus | 10kg | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm |
| Transavia | 5kg | 55cm x 35cm x 25cm |
| Norweigan | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm |
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