help with ryanair baggage

janiebaby29

i'm wanting to book flights today , on the website its 10 per checked in bag and the baggage allowence is 15kg , if i wanted to take 2 bags , would that mean i could take 30kg ??

lemontart

nope 15 kg total or you will be charged excess baggage, unless it states max weight per bag which is doubtful.

Liz

blue_haddock

It is a total allowance of 15kg and that works on the basis of it is a single bag. take two small bags with a total weight of 15kg and you will be fine weight wise but still charged for two bags. Also two people cannot combine allowances and take one bag weighing 30kg as they would hit you with excess baggage charge.

janiebaby29

blimey , oh well , i shall have to travel very light then , lol

Tallymanjohn

It's 15kg checked in and 10kg hand baggage (with a maximum size allowance). They are very strict on the checked in, but as long as the hand luggage fits their sizing frame at checkout they haven't bothered weighing yet (have used them 4 times (8 journeys) in the last 6 months). Our hand baggage now consists of small wheeled suitcases - the ones that are usually the smallest in these suitcase sets - & we've had no problems (touch wood).

martindow

If you use the check and go - the online check in where you print your own boarding card - no one seems to worry about the size and weight of your bag unless it appears huge. With this you get treated like royalty and summoned to the front of the queue to avoid the scrum. You can only use check and go if you have hand luggage and nothing to check in.

peterbaker

janie,

You received a number of mixed answers here, eh? I've flown Ryanair more than 100 times (lost count).

Never used check and go because I was worried about what happened if I was slightly overweight ... martin's experienced view is interesting, but still not sure I'd try it with an overweight/oversized bag unless I had time and cash in my hands to experiment! Remember you still have to get it through the security "scrum".

I think TallymanJohn is the most correct with just one slightly b*m steer - they DO still on a discretionary basis weigh your handbaggage at the entrance to security at Stansted. Not so much lately, but the weighing machines are nevertheless there at all the entrances.
Edit: 6/4/2007 Things seem to have changed a bit again ... came through today and no weighing machines or sizing frames in sight at entrance to security!

Unless distracted(!), security look at your bag to make a judgement about whether it looks too big OR too heavy while they are asking you if you have any liquids. They are actually more likely to use the weighing machine than the sizing frame at the moment I think, but both are there to remind you!

Forget what happens at the check-in desk...the boys and girls there are a mixed bunch and they make no judgement about what you are carrying as handbaggage.

Edit: 6/4/2007 Things seem to have changed a bit again ... came through today and checkin boys and girls WERE taking a very close interest in handbaggage weights and measures, sending backpackers to the desk to buy themselves checkin luggage at £10 a hit! The amazing thing was I got off with a simple reprimand for my 20.2kg checked in bag:-)


At Stansted, they might offer a view that your bag will be ok but it is of no real validity whatever versus the security man's view when you get to him!
Edit: 6/4/2007 : Security WERE NOT using weighing or sizing equipment today

If you are travelling alone and you pay for checked in baggage when you book, then you pay £10 baggage charge for a return flight as you have seen.

For that you can check in 15kg MAX in ONE bag. If you are travelling with others, you cannot combine the weights. You are measured as if you are each travelling alone.

If you book more checked-in bags it will cost another £10 (return) for each one, but the total checked-in weight still can't exceed 15kg. If it does, the total checked-in will cost you £5.50 per kg in Excess charges for any excess total checked-in weight over the 15kg allowance in each direction i.e. £11 per kg to take it and to bring it back (don't go there!)

The challenge of course is to get through security with as much weight as possible "about your person".

If you are struggling with your allowance then there may be a few tactics...

Here's one ... if it is cool enough to travel in one, take a coat with deep pockets. Carry heavy items in your pockets through security, and then transfer them into your handbaggage when you are through to the departure lounge.

Another perhaps...if you are carrying a laptop, you know you must take it out of your bag to have that scanned separately in security. So then, (possibly) you can have it in your hand as you enter security and its weight as part of your handbaggage (might) get ignored. If your handbaggage with everything else weighs 10kg already, then you will (probably?) not be challenged.

I have overheard security guys&gals talking informally to (just one) supervisor in the last month about whether 11kg is ok to let through. His very grey directions left me with the impression that on his shift anything that weighs through at 10.X is ok to be waved through. 11.X was 50/50 discretionary. 12.X no way.
Edit: 6/4/2007 : I think my handbaggage was probably 12.X today but as they were not weighing I didn't even have to blink!


Be organised before you go near security. Don't be seen to struggle with the weight of your bag as you enter security or they will be tempted to weigh it. Have your boarding card already in your hand. Don't let your bag or its pockets appear to be stuffed and bulging out of shape. Wait your turn unobtrusively, step forward unobtrusively presenting just your boarding card neatly into their hand whilst still moving forward like you know what you are doing, and with luck you are through the weight check because you are by then almost in their face, and they'd have to physically use their arm to guide you back:-) ... fluency & confidence is the key ... if they call out "Good Luck!" then they might be trying to trick you into saying "Thanks!"

If your chosen handbag has wheels and is on the limit of accepted dimensions and you are using it in trolley fashion, it might attract attention & get check-weighed. If I know I am a bit heavy I usually stow the trolley handle and carry mine but I am big enough to make apparently light work of it.

It's all a game.

Last time I walked up Ryanair's aircraft steps, what went up the steps (me and my bag and my coat and my shopping) weighed in at 130kg, + 15kg already in the hold. Ryanair's signed weight and balance sheet to make sure the aircraft flies would have allowed just 85kg + 10kg I think, or maybe even less! (For official IAA weight and balance purposes I believe Ryanair uses an assumed average weight for the passenger with handbags (85kg?) AND an assumed average for a checked-in bag (10kg?))

Thank goodness for long runways and engineering tolerances, because although Ryanair's 188/189 passenger full flights are "greener", the I believe the weight limits get pushed by airline and passengers alike.

PS Everything I've said goes for Stansted. What happens on the way back is a different story although I think it can be generally assumed that it is rarely more problematic than at Stansted on a bad day!

alared

Tallyman is correct,

It's 15kg checked in and 10kg hand baggage (with a maximum size allowance).
25kg in total,but you have to pay extra for checked-in baggage.

Also if you check-in online (hand baggage only)they charge you £4-50 for the privilage.

angelfire

peterbaker wrote: »

janie,

You received a number of mixed answers here, eh? I've flown Ryanair more than 100 times (lost count).

Never used check and go because I was worried about what happened if I was slightly overweight ... martin's experienced view is interesting, but still not sure I'd try it with an overweight/oversized bag unless I had time and cash in my hands to experiment! Remember you still have to get it through the security "scrum".

I think TallymanJohn is the most correct with just one slightly b*m steer - they DO still on a discretionary basis weigh your handbaggage at the entrance to security at Stansted. Not so much lately, but the weighing machines are nevertheless there at all the entrances. Unless distracted(!), security look at your bag to make a judgement about whether it looks too big OR too heavy while they are asking you if you have any liquids. They are actually more likely to use the weighing machine than the sizing frame at the moment I think, but both are there to remind you!

Forget what happens at the check-in desk...the boys and girls there are a mixed bunch and they make no judgement about what you are carrying as handbaggage. At Stansted, they might offer a view that your bag will be ok but it is of no real validity whatever versus the security man's view when you get to him!

If you are travelling alone and you pay for checked in baggage when you book, then you pay £10 baggage charge for a return flight as you have seen.

For that you can check in 15kg MAX in ONE bag. If you are travelling with others, you cannot combine the weights. You are measured as if you are each travelling alone.

If you book more checked-in bags it will cost another £10 (return) for each one, but the total checked-in weight still can't exceed 15kg. If it does, the total checked-in will cost you £5.50 per kg in Excess charges for any excess total checked-in weight over the 15kg allowance in each direction i.e. £11 per kg to take it and to bring it back (don't go there!)

The challenge of course is to get through security with as much weight as possible "about your person".

If you are struggling with your allowance then there may be a few tactics...

Here's one ... if it is cool enough to travel in one, take a coat with deep pockets. Carry heavy items in your pockets through security, and then transfer them into your handbaggage when you are through to the departure lounge.

Another perhaps...if you are carrying a laptop, you know you must take it out of your bag to have that scanned separately in security. So then, (possibly) you can have it in your hand as you enter security and its weight as part of your handbaggage (might) get ignored. If your handbaggage with everything else weighs 10kg already, then you will (probably?) not be challenged.

I have overheard security guys&gals talking informally to (just one) supervisor in the last month about whether 11kg is ok to let through. His very grey directions left me with the impression that on his shift anything that weighs through at 10.X is ok to be waved through. 11.X was 50/50 discretionary. 12.X no way.

Be organised before you go near security. Don't be seen to struggle with the weight of your bag as you enter security or they will be tempted to weigh it. Have your boarding card already in your hand. Don't let your bag or its pockets appear to be stuffed and bulging out of shape. Wait your turn unobtrusively, step forward unobtrusively presenting just your boarding card neatly into their hand whilst still moving forward like you know what you are doing, and with luck you are through the weight check because you are by then almost in their face, and they'd have to physically use their arm to guide you back:-) ... fluency & confidence is the key ... if they call out "Good Luck!" then they might be trying to trick you into saying "Thanks!"

If your chosen handbag has wheels and is on the limit of accepted dimensions and you are using it in trolley fashion, it might attract attention & get check-weighed. If I know I am a bit heavy I usually stow the trolley handle and carry mine but I am big enough to make apparently light work of it.

It's all a game.

Last time I walked up Ryanair's aircraft steps, what went up the steps (me and my bag and my coat and my shopping) weighed in at 130kg, + 15kg already in the hold. Ryanair's signed weight and balance sheet to make sure the aircraft flies would have allowed just 85kg + 10kg I think, or maybe even less! (For official IAA weight and balance purposes I believe Ryanair uses an assumed average weight for the passenger with handbags (85kg?) AND an assumed average for a checked-in bag (10kg?))

Thank goodness for long runways and engineering tolerances, because although Ryanair's 188/189 passenger full flights are "greener", the I believe the weight limits get pushed by airline and passengers alike.

PS Everything I've said goes for Stansted. What happens on the way back is a different story although I think it can be generally assumed that it is rarely more problematic than at Stansted on a bad day!

What a fab post! Thank you very m,uch for all your comments, hints and tips Peter! :beer:

janiebaby29

thanks for that epic but entertaing post peter , will make the most of your tips

peterbaker

I have edited my earlier long post as things seem to have changed a bit at Stansted when I came through today!