Cabin baggage size (1 centimeter over)

Hey everyone,

I booked a flight with RyanAir for next month, with the priority+ option and two cabin bags. So I can take a 10 kg bag with dimensions 55x40x20 in the cabin (plus another smaller one). The problem is that the smallest suitcase I have (which is supposed to be designed specifically for cabin size standards, according to the manual) has the following dimensions: 55x37x21, so it's just 1 cm over (wheels included) on one of the measurements.

I wasn’t too worried at first, but I’ve read dozens of stories about people’s misadventures and the hassles they’ve had with RyanAir.

Since I don’t want my suitcase to end up in the hold (that would waste time picking it up when I’m already arriving late and need to get to the city center), nor do I want to pay an extra fee (apparently 50 €) for the outbound and return flights for just 1 centimeter—especially since I paid for the "priority+" option and I’m not exactly rolling in money—I’d love some advice.

Have any of you been in the same situation? I’ve read that with this airline, they check bags in templates (testing them in different positions) and are completely uncompromising. I tried contacting customer service, who, as luck would have it, "don’t handle this kind of request," and a rep I spoke to wasn’t much help.

I know it’s a low-cost airline, and I don’t expect luxury or even kindness, but come on—just 1 cm on a short flight with the + option... I’m a bit overwhelmed by everything I’ve read...

Just to clarify, since I’m going for 8 days, I can’t just take one bag for my stuff. I’ve done that for shorter trips before, and it was a hassle—I even had to buy an extra bag for the return trip... Luckily, the inspector was nice about it!

Thanks so much! I’m a newbie when it comes to air travel :) Hope I posted this in the right section!

hi with Ryanair, it has to fit in the "sizer" and they're strict. if you're not far from the airport, do the test.

Honestly, I rarely see checks at the airport with Ryanair, and I often fly with them... At worst, they check suitcases that REALLY look too big.

Personally, I often go away for exactly one week and I only take a small soft travel bag that’s never been checked or forced into the hold—precisely because it’s soft. It can hold up to 12 kilos, and I find it super practical. I can only recommend it to those who don’t know what to take... It even worked for me for a 3-week summer trip...

Thanks to both of you for your replies!

I think I’ve found the solution (on Amazon): a bag and a suitcase approved by Ryanair and other airlines that fit the dimensions perfectly (here’s the link in case it helps others with cabin baggage issues).

Plus, they’re soft, so hopefully no problems—I’m relieved, and it also solves the issue with my bag (my satchel was too big). I got both for 25 €, and I’d rather pay that than risk a 50 € penalty for being 1 cm over the limit!

Just to clarify, since I'm going for 8 days, I can't take just one bag for my stuff. I've done that for a shorter trip before, and it caused me some hassle—I even had to buy an extra bag for the return trip...

Are you changing clothes three times a day or bringing back 20 kg of gifts for the family? 😛

Checks are relatively rare, and the size limits aren’t measured down to the millimeter. For one centimeter, you’re not risking much...

Both 😛 But seriously, since I’m heading to Andalusia, I’m planning some pretty long trips (all the way to Portugal or the very south of Spain) and a mix of activities (beach, hiking, shows...) and I think I’ll do a little (a lot of) shopping 🙂 so it’s better to have some extra space in my luggage.

Last time, I decided to take only a small backpack and very few clothes for a shorter stay in Madrid, and it really caused me some hassle. I ended up having to buy a bigger bag on top of that.

Anyway, the hard-shell suitcase bothered me for other reasons, and I much prefer these two soft bags I found. It’s true that for just one centimeter it seemed totally ridiculous, but when you read some reviews and comments, it does make you think. Let’s just say at least I’m sure it’ll work.

Hi, I travel regularly with so-called "cabin-sized" suitcases, but I can never be sure they really are because I’ve never had them checked. To keep costs down with low-cost airlines, you check in online and don’t even go to the check-in desk anymore. The only possible check is at boarding—but how can they refuse a suitcase at that point? Plus, they’ve got other things to do. I’d say there’s a 99.99% chance you won’t have your size checked, and you won’t have any issues bringing your suitcase into the cabin.

"But how do you refuse a suitcase at boarding?"

Of course it’s possible! There’s even a rack right in front of the boarding gate to check if the suitcase meets the size requirements. If the suitcase doesn’t fit in the rack, the passenger will have to pay the checked baggage fee.

It's true that after boarding, they can still put suitcases in the hold (I was only thinking about check-in counters). However, I’ve never seen staff at the boarding gate check the size of a bag, despite the sizers. I actually noticed this during my last trip, which is why I chimed in on this topic. I can believe it might happen, but in that case, when and where do you pay? Besides, I use a hiking backpack whose dimensions don’t perfectly match the requirements of the airline I regularly fly with (cabin-sized but not strictly within the limits). So even 1 cm—even for a hard-shell suitcase—doesn’t worry me at all.

Yeah, I’ve read similar stories to what Nataly03 described. But the problem’s solved now since I’ll be getting the soft, compliant bag and suitcase soon. They’ll come in handy for future trips too, so in the end, it’s better to play it safe—especially since it’d be silly to have paid extra (and a lot, at that) for a cabin-baggage option just to end up having to check one of them for 1 cm.

Personally, I’d rather not tempt fate. Even if it might pass for just 1 cm, all it takes is one inspector who feels like making trouble, and boom—there you go. From what I’ve read, they’d ask people to pay on the spot, otherwise they can’t board or have to leave their luggage behind...

At a push, a soft bag might go unnoticed, but the suitcase I originally wanted to take is hard, pretty big, and stands out easily... Plus, since I plan to use public transport once I’m in Andalusia, the two bags I just bought will make things easier—one of the bigger ones can be worn as a backpack.

Safe travels with your backpack, then! It's easier when you're on the move once you're there. 😉

Exactly! I really don’t feel like lugging around a hard-shell suitcase on every bus or train ride—or even on foot.

Hello, .. The only check that can be done is at boarding, but how can you refuse a suitcase at that point? Plus, they’ve got other things to do.

Hi,

Don’t be so sure—there can be a check right before boarding. I’ve seen it happen on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Paris. A KLM flight attendant walked along the boarding line and pulled out "cabin" bags she deemed non-compliant (her assessment was very subjective—she even tried, unsuccessfully, to pull ours, even though they met weight and size requirements). From what I understood (my English gives me away, or almost), she was having them sent on a later flight... in the hold.

Wilfried was right to play it safe.

Have a good day,

BL

Hello, .. The only check that can be done is at boarding: but how can you refuse a suitcase at boarding? Plus, they’ve got other things to do.

Hi,

Don’t be so sure—there can be a check just before boarding. I’ve seen this happen on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Paris. A KLM flight attendant walked through the boarding line and pulled out "cabin" bags she deemed non-compliant (her assessment was very subjective—she even tried, unsuccessfully, with our bags, which were within weight and size limits). From what I understood (my English is a bit rough), they were sent on a later flight... in the hold.

Wilfried was right to play it safe.

Have a good day,

BL

Yeah, I’ve seen this in Vienna too—I even "hid" my bag so the flight attendant wouldn’t take it. Same thing in Brazil on a domestic flight. There, I was already on the plane when the flight attendant came and took my bag. Though I’ll admit, I’d gone overboard—it was *really* big 🙂

Actually, this can happen even with compliant bags if the flight is really full and they realize the hold is almost empty. In that case, they’ll check at boarding and put bags in the hold. But the upside is there’s no extra charge 😏

It’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game because everyone tries to bring as much as possible on board and nothing in the hold. And they know it, too.

Same thing on an AF flight between Warsaw and CDG and another departing from CDG to BUD, I think. Actually, it's mathematical—there isn't enough space in the overhead bins if every passenger on a full flight decided to put one in.

Before boarding, there’s a first check where the ground hostess puts a "gate-checked" tag on bags that can fit under the seat, just to remind passengers it’s not a good idea to put that bag in the overhead bin. Then, they ask for volunteers to have their bags checked into the hold. Finally, the last passengers (less than ten) to board are forced to have their bags checked into the hold.

Good evening,

I know low-cost airlines do this—Transavia, for example. However, I’ve never seen it on the Star Alliance flights I’ve taken. Sometimes on very small aircraft, like Dash planes, there’s a container at the foot of the plane.

Michel

Same on an AF flight between Warsaw and CDG and another from CDG to BUD, I think. Actually, it’s mathematical: there isn’t enough space in the overhead bins if every passenger on a full flight decided to stow one bag each.

Before boarding, there’s an initial check where the ground hostess puts a tag on bags that can fit under the seat, just to remind passengers it’s not a good idea to put that bag in the overhead bin. Then, they ask for volunteers to check their bags into the hold. Finally, the last passengers (less than ten) to board are forced to check their bags into the hold.

Hi there,

United does this in the US. BA starts doing it when there’s any doubt, in certain airports.

Yes.... When the luggage is truly oversized, I get it, of course. But forcing a passenger to take risks with the integrity of their belongings in a bag that was perfectly within the cabin size limits—even risking their physical safety if that bag contains potentially life-saving medication—is just unacceptable to me. They have rules; they should enforce them instead of making arbitrary decisions.

Michel

Good evening United does this in the US. BA is starting to do it too when there’s doubt, at certain airports.

uh, well, exactly! 1 cm extra is 1 cm too much, so the airlines are perfectly within their rights. Sometimes it gets through... and sometimes it doesn’t!

Good evening,

You fly as often as I do. So you also see luggage that’s totally over the limit—not by one centimeter, but by five in every dimension. And it gets through. Because that’s in everyone’s interest, starting with the airlines. The problem, in my opinion, is hard-shell suitcases and wheels. I think we shouldn’t allow wheeled hard-shell luggage in the cabin; just that would limit the abuse.

Michel

uh well, exactly! 1 cm extra is 1 cm too much so the airlines are perfectly within their rules sometimes it goes through… and sometimes it doesn’t!

I think I’ve already mentioned this, but even on Air France they can check the size, especially on a full flight. When you have medication, take it in a small handbag with the prescription—no risk that way.

The regulation is useless unless you're carrying large quantities of syrups or creams. I find it unacceptable to arbitrarily penalize passengers; it's a lack of foresight and poor organization. Not professional at all.

Michel

As usual, we overthink it... when you fly low-cost, you just have to accept it (recent trip with Transavia—we accepted it).

A prescription is mandatory...

If you're traveling to a European country outside the Schengen Area (the UK, for example) or to a country outside the European Union, you must be able to present a prescription from your doctor to the authorities when requested.

There’s definitely a way to avoid any excess baggage fees... 😉

And then we’ll talk about the stereotype of Scots being stingy! 😏

http://www.air-journal.fr/2015-07-11-il-enfile-couche-sur-couche-ses-vetements-pour-economiser-sur-le-transport-bagage-5147086.html

Human genius combining creativity and stupidity 😄 That Scotsman must have felt really bad though...

In the "stingy" or baggage-saving category, last time I only took one pair of pants (the ones I was wearing) to fit all my stuff in one bag. Unfortunately, a jar of honey broke on them later during the trip, and I got honey everywhere—in the middle of the train station 😄. I had to clean them and dry them in the hotel bathroom... and then I still had to buy another bag before leaving to fit all the souvenirs I bought. So in the end, "saving space" didn’t help me at all...

Since then, I’ve been careful—it taught me a lesson, and I now pack what I need.

Hi there,

I know this isn’t exactly the topic here, but still...

Where did you get that idea? It’s a misunderstanding: At the security checkpoint, there’s no question of a prescription—it’s not their concern, unless it’s about bending the rules on liquids exceeding 100 ml. And anyway, that has nothing to do with whether you’re in the European Union or any other entity.

After that, depending on the country, you might need a prescription for "sensitive" medications like neuroleptics, psychotropics, or codeine. But that’s no longer an air travel issue—it’s a customs matter.

Michel

A prescription is mandatory...

If you’re traveling to a European country outside the Schengen Area (the UK, for example) or to a country outside the EU, you must be able to present a prescription from your doctor to the authorities.

Hi Michel,

I disagree with you about hard-shell wheeled luggage. If these bags fit within the size limit (including wheels and handles), they’re fine. Some soft-shell bags get bulging because they’re overpacked and no longer pass the size test due to the bulge. I’m all for stricter enforcement of cabin baggage sizes—right now, it’s chaos in economy class.

Good evening,

I know that low-cost airlines do this, Transavia for example. However, I’ve never seen it on the Star Alliance flights I’ve taken. Sometimes on very small aircraft, like the Dash, there’s a container at the foot of the plane.

Michel

For my part, it was on an AF flight, Vienna to CDG. In Brazil, it was with GOL. And a while back, it was on Air Inter , where we’d drop our baggage at the foot of the plane in the provinces and pick it up the same way at the foot of the plane when arriving at Orly. Back then, I often walked directly from the departure lounge to the foot of the plane, sometimes in the rain, actually. I even remember one time when I called the airport because I was going to be 5 minutes late, and they told me, "Don’t worry, we’ll wait for you." Different times.

Hello,

Maybe smaller devices. On some planes, like the Dash or CRJ, the overhead bins are quite small. So yeah, we adapt.

Michel

Good evening,

I know low-cost airlines do that, like Transavia for example. However, I’ve never seen that on the Star Alliance flights I’ve taken. Sometimes on very small aircraft, like the Dash, there’s a container at the foot of the plane.

Michel

For my part, it was on an AF flight, Vienna to CDG. In Brazil, it was with GOL.

Not really, at least not for more than 19 passengers—it was a regular province/Paris rotation.

Hi there,

I also see that a lot of passengers take advantage of the rules. The problem with hard-shell suitcases is that they waste space in the overhead bins. Two soft bags can nest together or stack a bit, etc. Where you can fit three of those hard-shell suitcases in a bin, you could fit four softer bags of the same volume.

Michel

Hi Michel,

I don’t agree with you about hard-shell wheeled luggage. If those bags fit within the size limit (including wheels and handles), they’re fine. Some soft bags get lumpy because they’re overstuffed and no longer pass the size test due to the bulge. I’m all for stricter enforcement of cabin baggage sizes—right now, it’s chaos in economy class.

Air France often uses ATRs, ERJs, and CRJs on domestic flights in France....

Michel

Not really, at least not for more than 19 passengers—it was a regular province/Paris rotation.

The prescription is useless unless you're carrying large quantities of syrups or creams. I find it unacceptable to arbitrarily penalize passengers; it's a lack of foresight and poor organization. Not professional at all, in any case.

Michel

Absolutely, putting your medication in luggage you know might end up in the hold is a lack of foresight and organization.

At some point, you have to know what the deal is. A prepared passenger travels with a bag that meets the regulations. They pack medications that are precious or even vital to them, and they have every right to demand that these aren’t put at risk in the hold. That seems like the least the airline can do and the bare minimum of respect for the customer/passenger. The rules are known and published—yes to that. Arbitrary decisions? No. 🙂

Besides, I don’t have the energy today for one of those surreal deaf dialogues you all love.

Michel

A prescription is useless unless you’re carrying large quantities of syrups or creams. I find it unacceptable to arbitrarily penalize passengers. It’s a lack of foresight and poor organization. Not professional, in any case.

Michel

Exactly—putting your medications in a bag you know might end up in the hold is a lack of foresight and poor planning.

Hi there. Two quick notes: - a: With Ryanair, for the "large" carry-on that goes in the hold (not your case since you paid the extra fee), the restrictions are the same as for the small ones that go in the cabin (no knives, scissors, bottles over 100ml, etc.), because they’re placed in the hold after security checks—you take them to the tarmac yourself.

b: If you’re flying to Seville on the flight that arrives at 11:40 PM, just so you know, you’ll walk from the plane to the terminal, and by the time you reach the baggage carousel, it’s already turning. We waited less than 5 minutes to collect our 8 bags (4 suitcases and 4 so-called carry-ons that traveled in the hold), and it’s pretty much the same at Beauvais, so you won’t lose much time. Also, to get to central Seville, it’s 15-20 minutes by taxi (no buses at that hour), with a fixed fare of 24.92 € no matter where you’re going in Seville. Have a great trip!

... Note: if you're flying into Seville on the flight that arrives at 11:40 PM, be aware you’ll walk from the plane to the terminal, and by the time you reach the baggage carousel, it’s already spinning. We waited less than 5 minutes to collect our 8 bags (4 suitcases and 4 so-called "hand" bags that traveled in the hold)...

Yep, you get that small-airport vibe with those remote gates. That’s the upside of low-cost flights! 😊 After that, though, it takes about 20 minutes to reach central London—let’s be real, it’s closer to 1h30 (so about as long as the flight itself), and that’s by taxi. Public transport? You’re looking at nearly 2 hours...

Hi, I fly very regularly between Ajaccio and Lyon with Air Corsica. Most of the time, it's actually ATR planes. And here, unchecked suitcases are dropped off and picked up at the bottom of the plane because there's very little storage space in the cabin. Have a great weekend! Françoise

Hi there

Okay, thanks for the info! I’m arriving earlier, though, so I think I’ll take the bus from the airport to the city center. Since I already know Seville, I’ll walk to the hotel afterward. Hope they don’t make us walk between the plane and the terminal—I’m arriving between seven and eight in the evening.

Hi,

Yes, that’s exactly what I was referring to. Sometimes there’s also a sort of baggage container at the front of the plane, but I can’t remember where I saw that. And on Trislanders, the luggage hold is in front of the cockpit, in the nose. 😉

Michel

Hello, I fly very regularly between Ajaccio and Lyon with Air Corsica. Most of the time, they’re ATRs. Here, unchecked bags are dropped off and picked up at the bottom of the plane because there’s very little storage space in the cabin. Have a great weekend! Françoise

At some point, you have to know what the deal is. A prepared passenger travels with a regulation-sized bag, packs medication that’s precious or even vital to them, and rightfully expects not to risk it in the hold. That seems like the bare minimum of customer respect. The rules are published and known—arbitrariness, no. 🙂

A prepared passenger also doesn’t wait until the last minute to board, so they have a slim chance of having to check their bag.

Besides, I don’t have the energy today for one of those surreal deaf dialogues you enjoy.

They make good hearing aids—you should try them.

... The prepared passenger doesn’t wait until the last minute to board either, so they have a tiny chance of having to check their bag into the hold...

You should read the messages before replying. Almost the entire discussion is about bags being checked into the hold, including just before entering the plane, during boarding when staff walk among passengers. Whether you’re prepared or not, it won’t change anything.

Hi Michel,

I disagree with you about hard-shell wheeled luggage. If these bags fit within the size limit (including wheels and handles), they’re fine. Some soft-shell bags get bulging because they’re overpacked and no longer pass the size test due to the bulge. I’m all for stricter enforcement of cabin baggage sizes—right now, it’s chaos in economy class.

I totally agree. We often end up not knowing where to stow our bags if we board last, even though our bags are soft, small, and don’t take up much space. I regularly see wheeled suitcases that are clearly oversized but still get through.

Hello,

Yes, and we can also look back at the history of this trend. The popularity of hard-shell cabin bags with wheels, pushed to the absolute limit of the allowed size, is recent. It emerged in response to airlines introducing fees for checked baggage. At its core, the system has been distorted: in principle, cabin baggage shouldn’t need to be protected from impacts and shouldn’t have to be wheeled around, since it’s supposed to be a reasonable weight. A hard-shell cabin bag guarantees it will take up all the space, even when half-empty, at the expense of other passengers’ luggage. And nine times out of ten, when an overhead bin won’t close, it’s because of those unnecessary wheels sticking out.

Looking at it this way, I think wheeled bags should be banned from cabins. We’d end up with softer bags that could be packed more efficiently, making it easier to accommodate everyone—even on a full flight.

Michel

not to mention that with wheels, there's always that retractable telescopic handle taking up space in the luggage at the expense of storage capacity

... A prepared passenger doesn’t wait until the last minute to board either, so they have a tiny chance of having to check their bag into the hold...

You should read the messages before replying. Almost the entire discussion is about bags being checked into the hold, including just before entering the plane, during boarding when staff walk among passengers. Whether you’re prepared or not, it won’t change anything.

Actually, it *does* make a difference—if you don’t arrive last, there’s no obligation to check your bag into the hold because, surprise, there’s still space in the cabin. Assuming, of course, the bag meets the size requirements. Naturally, some here firmly believe passengers only have rights and no responsibilities when it comes to baggage.

First come, first served isn't a proper or efficient way to board a plane; some airlines even board by cabin zone. A clear and fair rule shouldn’t dissolve into a mad dash just to keep your bag with you.

Michel

... A prepared passenger doesn’t wait until the last minute to board either, so they’ve got a slim chance of having to check their bag...

You should read the messages before replying. Almost the entire discussion is about bags being checked, including just before entering the plane, when staff walk through the cabin during boarding. Prepared or not, it won’t change a thing.

It *does* make a difference—if you’re not among the last to board, there’s no obligation to check your bag because, surprise, there’s still space in the cabin. Assuming, of course, the bag meets size requirements. Naturally, some here firmly believe passengers only have rights and no responsibilities when it comes to luggage.

The fact that you have to put your luggage in the hold is only a problem for those who aren't prepared, so honestly, take some responsibility instead of thinking you need to be assisted for every little thing. Do you have medication or something else you absolutely need to keep with you? Take a bag that fits under the seat, and there you go—problem solved.

First come, first served isn’t a proper or efficient way to board a plane; some airlines even board by cabin zone. A clear and fair rule shouldn’t dissolve into a mad dash to keep your bag with you.

Michel

... A prepared passenger doesn’t wait until the last minute to board either, so they have a slim chance of having to put their bag in the hold...

You should read the messages before replying. Almost the entire discussion is about bags being put in the hold, including just before entering the plane, when staff walk through the cabin during boarding. Prepared or not, it doesn’t change anything.

It *does* change things—if you don’t board last, there’s no obligation to put your bag in the hold because, surprise, there’s still space in the cabin. Assuming, of course, the bag meets size requirements. Though some here seem convinced passengers have only rights and no responsibilities when it comes to luggage.

In a contract, you don’t change the rules halfway through, and you don’t act arbitrarily. This has nothing to do with some kind of "assistance"—it’s just about clarity in the commitments made and fairness among passengers. With your logic, you could tell passengers carrying medication to take care of themselves and just not travel, all in the name of foresight.

Michel

The fact that having to put your bag in the hold is only a problem for the unprepared—so, seriously, take responsibility instead of thinking you need to be assisted for every little thing. You have medication or something else you absolutely must keep with you? Take a bag that fits under the seat, and boom, problem solved.

First come, first served isn’t a proper or efficient way to board a plane. Some airlines even board by cabin zone. A clear and fair rule doesn’t dissolve into a race to the gate just to keep your bag with you.

Michel

... The prepared passenger doesn’t wait until the last minute to board either, so they have a slim chance of having to put their bag in the hold...

You have to read the messages before replying. Almost the entire discussion is about bags being put in the hold, including just before entering the plane, when staff walk through the cabin during boarding. Prepared or not, it doesn’t change anything.

It *does* change things—if you don’t arrive last, there’s no obligation to put your bag in the hold because, surprise, there’s still space in the cabin. Assuming, of course, the bag meets the size requirements. Naturally, some here firmly believe passengers have only rights and no responsibilities when it comes to baggage.