Ryanair Increases the Size of Free Carry-On Luggage

Ryanair, the airline that handles the most passengers at Malaga Airport, has just announced that travelers can now bring a larger free carry-on bag. Specifically, the bag or backpack that is usually carried under the seat in front when no baggage fee is paid, which is allowed with the cheapest ticket, can now be five centimeters larger. The company explains that until now the dimensions were 40 x 20 x 25 centimeters, while now it can be 40 x 20 x 30 centimeters. Additionally, in terms of volume, it will increase from a capacity of 20 liters to 24 liters.

"This measure is part of the agreement of European airlines to adopt a new minimum size for carry-on luggage, which will be larger than allowed in the new EU regulation, which is still pending approval and will be 40 x 15 x 30," explain Ryanair representatives. Ryanair accounts for 30% of all passengers at Malaga’s Costa del Sol Airport and this summer has a historic schedule connecting the Malaga destination with 91 cities in Europe and North Africa.

40 x 20 x 30

It is worth recalling that Elena Cabrera, Ryanair's spokesperson in Spain, detailed in the presentation that this high season they have placed 5.3 million seats on the market to fly from the capital of the Costa del Sol to those 91 destinations. The planned air capacity is 5% higher than last summer, which was already historic for an airline that has 18 planes based, "representing an investment of 1.8 billion dollars and supporting over 4,500 local jobs, boosting economic growth and development in the region."

Ryanair states that it now needs a few weeks to change the size meters at airports. Experts from AirCashBack, specialized in airline claims, assert that this is an important step towards better consumer protection and recall that previous limitations were a constant source of complaints. "Items that protruded minimally, such as a bottle or the handle of a suitcase, could result in charges of several tens of euros. The new regulation aims to end arbitrariness and offer passengers greater predictability," they detail, adding that in recent months there had been reports of charges on various airlines that reached figures like "67 euros for a backpack that barely protruded from the meter; 87 euros for a suitcase with a protruding handle; 58 euros for carrying a bottle attached outside the backpack; or 73 euros in situations where the luggage met the measurements, but the decision was made by eye."