A Ryanair passenger was left furious after being charged a £75 fine for a carry-on bag he insists he had already paid for. The incident occurred at Belfast International Airport before his flight to Malaga.
Jeffrey Peel took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his experience. He claimed that an airport agent refused to let him board unless he paid another £75, stating that his bag was too large despite having priority boarding and already paying for the carry-on.
Jeffrey’s complaint quickly gained attention online, with his post reaching over five million views. He included a photo showing his suitcase fitting inside Ryanair’s official size checker and described the situation as “appalling.”
He wrote: “When I finally boarded last night—after forking out the £75 ‘fine’—I got a round of applause from fellow passengers. But the experience was absolutely appalling. A Swissport agent in a Grinch sweater deliberately caused chaos, delayed a flight already late, called police, and forced me and my wife to wait till the end under police watch. Simply reprehensible.”
Jeffrey also revealed that Ryanair has not responded to his complaint despite thousands of people engaging with his story.
Ryanair’s luggage rules state that standard ticket holders are allowed one small bag free of charge, which must fit under the seat. Priority boarding permits a second cabin bag weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 20cm, including wheels and handles, to be stored in overhead lockers.
Bags considered oversized at the gate incur a £75 fee if placed in the hold. Online reactions to the incident were mixed, with some users supporting Ryanair’s enforcement of size limits, noting that Jeffrey’s bag handle appeared to exceed the allowed dimensions. Others criticised the policy as a “complete scam.”
A Ryanair spokesperson defended the charge, stating: “This passenger booked a Regular Fare ticket, allowing a small personal bag and a 10kg cabin bag. Since his bag exceeded the allowed size, the gate agent correctly applied the £75 gate baggage fee.”
The airline’s strict carry-on policies have caused frustration among passengers. Last month, a woman named Kay said she would never fly Ryanair again after being charged £62 for a slightly oversized cabin bag at Dublin Airport. Ryanair has also increased staff bonuses for identifying oversized bags at the gate, intensifying efforts to enforce the rules.
The question remains: is Ryanair justified in applying these fines, or are passengers being unfairly charged? What is your view—fair fine or airport money grab?
Originally published by UKNIP.
