Ryanair Confirms Staff Earn Commission for Charging Oversized Cabin Bags

Ryanair has acknowledged that its staff members receive commission payments when passengers are charged for bringing bags that exceed the airline’s size limits.

Although the budget carrier did not disclose exact figures, The Sunday Times reports that a Ryanair employee claimed to earn approximately €1.50 per oversized bag, with a monthly cap of around €80 per staff member.

The airline says the policy is part of its effort to “eliminate the scourge of oversized bags,” which it argues disrupt the boarding process and disadvantage the majority of passengers who adhere to the rules.

Under current Ryanair baggage policy, all passengers are allowed to bring one small personal item that fits under the seat in front of them. Those who want to carry a larger 10kg cabin bag can pay for the option to store it in the overhead bin or check it in. If any of these bags don’t fit the airline’s sizers at the boarding gate, passengers are charged to check the item into the hold. These fees vary based on route and ticket type and typically range from €36 to €60.

A Ryanair spokesperson defended the policy, saying that oversized bags “delay boarding and are clearly unfair on the over 99% of our passengers who comply with our baggage rules.”

“We do pay commission to our gate agents who identify and charge for oversized bags,” the spokesperson confirmed. “But these charges apply to fewer than 0.1% of passengers. Our message to that small minority is clear: stick to our generous baggage rules or you’ll face fees at check-in or the gate. To the compliant 99.9%, we say thank you—fly on without concern.”

In a slight policy shift, Ryanair recently announced it will increase the allowed dimensions for free personal bags from 40 x 25 x 20cm to 40 x 30 x 20cm. However, the size limit for the 10kg cabin bag remains unchanged at 55 x 40 x 20cm.

This update comes amid broader discussions in the EU regarding air passenger rights, with Ryanair among the airlines under review. The airline has also pushed back on speculation that it has introduced a stricter carry-on policy in recent months.

Stay tuned to Danchima Media Travel News for more updates on aviation and passenger rights across Europe.