Size matters: Which airlines are best for hand baggage?

[whole diary]

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

A few years ago I and three companions, one of whom was wheelchair bound, flew from Stansted to Santiago de Compostela. We booked disabled assistnance and the Ryanair staff were very helpful. We had the first three rows inside the front door (18 seats) to ourselves so were able to spread out but nearly all the seats behind were occupied. Some other people tried to join us but a member of the crew told them the seats were reserved leaving me slightly uncomforable. I therefore have only compliments on my admittedly very limited Ryanair experience.

[LiskeardRich]

A few years ago I and three companions, one of whom was wheelchair bound, flew from Stansted to Santiago de Compostela. We booked disabled assistnance and the Ryanair staff were very helpful. We had the first three rows inside the front door (18 seats) to ourselves so were able to spread out but nearly all the seats behind were occupied. Some other people tried to join us but a member of the crew told them the seats were reserved leaving me slightly uncomforable. I therefore have only compliments on my admittedly very limited Ryanair experience.

My Gran was wheelchair bound for last 4 or 5 years of her life. My Grandad still managed to bring her between the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and Greece house. He flew with Easyjet and some of the more higher end airlines. He said Easyjet provided the best disabled assistance by far. Ryanair have now started flying to his local airport from 5 or 6 UK airports and have undercut Easyjet by more than 50% so Ryanair are getting a lot of custom by various members of my family

[Brucey]

The only time I had my hand baggage checked in was when I was actually onboard on a Ryanair plane before leaving Krakow.  There wasn't enough space left when I boarded so it was "gate checked".

Yesterday I had a rather odd experience at Bournemouth.  On dropping off our hold luggage at the bag drop desk, they offered to check in our hang baggage there and then for no additional cost.  At the boarding gate, random bags were chosen to be "gate checked".  They had a label attached and were told to leave it in a cage by the wing before boarding.  This led to a much mpre civilised experience as everyone was sat with their luggage (unless it was checked in).

[TonyK]

For Christmas a few years back, our "kids" clubbed together to buy us a pair of Samsonite hand-baggage size cases. On our first serious outing with them, they were too big for Virgin Atlantic. They checked them into the hold gratis, though.

They are well within the limits for EasyPeasyJet. On my last two trips with them, I was asked if I wanted them checked into the hold, FOC^▸ (Freight Operating Company), an offer I accepted gladly. Their Ts & Cs for baggage allowances state that you may take:

Option 1: ONE piece of cabin baggage no bigger than 50 x 40 x 20cm including handles and wheels. Guaranteed to always travel with you in the cabin.

Option 2: ONE piece of cabin baggage within our maximum allowed size limitations, 56 x 45 x 25cm including handles and wheels. On some busy flights your bag may have to go into the hold, at no extra cost.

Unlike most people, my needs for a 3 hour flight do not need a bag of that size, so I am happy to retrieve my newspaper and hand it over if asked. The reason I am travelling so light is economy, which aim is met without me having to lug the brute around on the plane.Hence also Brucey's "odd experience" at Bournemouth, I assume.

[Brucey]

I took Air Berlin up on their offer of checking in my hand baggage, free of charge, on my return journey from Ibiza for exactly the same reason as FTN (i.e. I didn't want to drag the thing round the airport and plane, especially as I was taking an indirect flight).  Sadly the suitcase never made it onto my connecting flight in Zurich (40 min scheduled connection, which actually turned into a 2hr connection as the plane was delayed on an earlier journey).

After waiting a while and then filing a mishandled baggage report, I left the airport some 90 minutes after landing.  The following two days were spent waiting at home for British Airways to deliver my suitcase, resulting in the cancellation of my other plans for those days.  The service was far from perfect and no indication was given as to when it would actually be delivered.  It eventually turned up 47 hours after I landed in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), with the main zipper broken making the case almost useless.

I have now revised my opinion and feel that the additional effort of carrying your suitcase through the airport is worth it to keep your possessions in sight at all times.

[ellendune]

I have always taken this view and see no reason to change.

[LiskeardRich]

For Christmas a few years back, our "kids" clubbed together to buy us a pair of Samsonite hand-baggage size cases. .

Ryanair try selling Samsonite hand baggage cases as an add on if you don't select a hold luggage. (I noticed the advert in amongst every other add on sale they tried such as car parking, transfers, hotels, car hire, charity donations, priority boarding)
I'm pretty certain the only thing they didn't try and sell me was the actual plane!

[TonyK]

Ryanair try selling Samsonite hand baggage cases as an add on if you don't select a hold luggage. (I noticed the advert in amongst every other add on sale they tried such as car parking, transfers, hotels, car hire, charity donations, priority boarding)
I'm pretty certain the only thing they didn't try and sell me was the actual plane!

If you want to buy a second-hand Boeing 737-800, one careful owner (plus Ryanair) from new, I'm sure we can do business, Squire! The list price is $93 million, but it can be yours for a mere ^45 million*

_{(* Plus VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax). Optional extras can be purchased at the time of ordering - these include wheels, CFMI CFM56-7 engines (you will need 2 @ $6 million apiece), toilets with ^1 coin mechanism, seats, and doors. Additional costs will be charged if these items are ordered on collection, rather than in advance. Total cost in any case likely to be $94 million. Payment by Ryanair pre-payment card is free, if used at least three times annually. Visa Debit card charge is 1.5%,all credit cards 7.5%. Our usual cast-iron guarantee applies: if it doesn't work, you broke it, and if you don't like it, you can p*** right off!)}

[Thatcham Crossing]

It's well known, FTN, that Ryanair do such big deals with Boeing (and play them off against Airbus each time) that they pay nothing like that for each of their 737-800's. Industry rumours have long suggested that Mr O'Leary gets about a 50% volume discount.

It's also a part of their ruthless business model that they only keep most of their aircraft until (expensive) heavy checks become due, then hand them back to the lessors - a bit like getting rid of your car before the expensive major services come around. On average, I understand this equates to a life in Ryanair colours of around 6 years....although it's hours flown and cycles (take-off's and landings) that determine when the checks are needed.

Sorry for going off thread a bit ;-)

[LiskeardRich]

It's well known, FTN, that Ryanair do such big deals with Boeing (and play them off against Airbus each time) that they pay nothing like that for each of their 737-800's. Industry rumours have long suggested that Mr O'Leary gets about a 50% volume discount.

It's also a part of their ruthless business model that they only keep most of their aircraft until (expensive) heavy checks become due, then hand them back to the lessors - a bit like getting rid of your car before the expensive major services come around. On average, I understand this equates to a life in Ryanair colours of around 6 years....although it's hours flown and cycles (take-off's and landings) that determine when the checks are needed.

Sorry for going off thread a bit ;-)

As of March 2013, the average age of the Ryanair fleet was 5.5 years, which they claim to be the newest fleet in Europe

[John R]

[quote author=Thatcham Crossing link=topic=14571.msg162160#msg162160 date=1412016185
It's also a part of their ruthless business model that they only keep most of their aircraft until (expensive) heavy checks become due, then hand them back to the lessors - a bit like getting rid of your car before the expensive major services come around.
[/quote]
I'm not sure I'd call that ruthless. If the lessors agree a contract that enable the airline to hand back the planes then they will understand full well the contract they are entering into. And can't complain if Ryanair exercise the option.  Ruthless means without pity, and I don't think one could think of global aircraft leasing companies in those terms.

Of course, I can think of another contract where one party had a break clause and duly walked away to their financial advantage at that point. But that would risk a digression from the thread.   

[TonyK]

It's well known, FTN, that Ryanair do such big deals with Boeing (and play them off against Airbus each time) that they pay nothing like that for each of their 737-800's. Industry rumours have long suggested that Mr O'Leary gets about a 50% volume discount.

It's also a part of their ruthless business model that they only keep most of their aircraft until (expensive) heavy checks become due, then hand them back to the lessors - a bit like getting rid of your car before the expensive major services come around. On average, I understand this equates to a life in Ryanair colours of around 6 years....although it's hours flown and cycles (take-off's and landings) that determine when the checks are needed.

Sorry for going off thread a bit ;-)

Well known by me, also, but I can't resist a bit of fun. I'm not sure they play Boeing against Airbus particularly, as they have no Airbus aircraft. They have over 300 738s, and nothing else. EasyJet went the other way. Having originally used only 737's, they began to order Airbus aircraft in 2002, and phased out all their Boeings. Having all of one type makes for economies of purchase and of servicing.

The only RyanAir plane I have flown in was older and noisier than its Easyjet neighbours at Bristol, but that is in the past. Hours and cycles certainly dictate servicing periods, but modern engines, like modern cars, have much greater gaps between major overhauls.

Much of the difference between the two airlines may be about bag size, to make this relevant.