Aer Lingus cuts cabin baggage allowance
Aer Lingus is emulating Ryanair and easyJet by cutting back on free cabin baggage on flights within Europe.
The Irish airline says passengers must pay extra if they wish to take more than a “small personal item” into the aircraft.
Previously they could also take a 10kg case into the cabin, so long as it was within the dimensions allowed.
But that option has been taken away for most travellers. Aer Lingus says: “We’ve changed our carry-on bag policy and now offer different ways to bring your 10kg bag on your journey.”
The airline said in a statement: “These changes are being introduced to ensure faster boarding and de-planing, therefore improving overall customer experience.”
While a free 10kg case is still allowed, passengers must check it in before departure and, at the destination, wait at baggage reclaim for it to arrive.
The alternative is to pay £5.99, which also includes priority boarding. The charge mirrors the fees introduced by the three big European budget airlines: easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Passengers paying more expensive fares, as well as elite frequent flyers, are still allowed to take a 10kg bag into the cabin without paying extra. The allowance also stays for passengers connecting to or from an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight, and for an adult accompanying an infant.
Aer Lingus is a sister airline to British Airways – both are owned by IAG.
BA has one of the most generous cabin baggage policies in Europe, with two bags permitted with a total weight of 46kg.
A spokesperson for British Airways said no changes were being contemplated.
“We are pleased to continue to offer our customers a generous hand baggage allowance across all of our flights,” they said.
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