If you’re a seasoned budget traveller, you know the game. Book the cheapest fare, avoid the dreaded checked bag and rely on that one piece of free hand luggage. But there’s a serious trap lurking at the boarding gate, and it involves the most popular item in your arsenal: your backpack. A stern warning has been issued to Ryanair passengers who unknowingly use backpacks that slightly exceed the airline’s notoriously strict limitations. What seems like a harmless extra inch or two can turn into a nasty surprise, costing you an on-the-spot fee of up to £75 at the departure gate, making it a holiday budget killer.
The crucial detail often missed is that Ryanair’s standard, free allowance for a small personal bag must fit entirely under the seat in front of you, with official dimensions of a brutally specific 40cm x 20cm x 25cm. Many popular travel backpacks are deceptively generous and often over-measure, making them instant candidates for the sizer machine and a hefty fine. To guarantee a smooth journey, always measure your bag when fully packed (don’t simply guess the size) and consider investing in a backpack specifically designed to meet these exact dimensions. By treating these bag rules as gospel, you can walk past the gate staff and their measuring cages with confidence, keeping that £75 safely in your wallet.
