How to Pack for Travel on Ryanair

Ryanair is Europe's largest budget airline, offering low-cost flights to destinations in both Eastern and Western Europe. Agents are notoriously strict about airline regulations, and unsuspecting passengers often face weight and distribution issues at the airport. Avoid surprises at check-in by packing in compliance with Ryanair's regulations.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Carry-on bag
• Checked bag
• Handbag

1. Weigh your carry-on luggage. Ryanair has a specific limit and follows it to the letter. Overweight cabin baggage will not be allowed past check-in, and passengers may be forced to check and pay for an additional piece of luggage. Fees for additional checked bags can be very high if paid for on the spot.

2. Measure your carry-on luggage. Ryanair employees will ask you to prove that your luggage fits into the designated space. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't come into the cabin.

3. Follow checked-baggage instructions. If you select and pay for one piece of checked luggage weighing a certain amount, Ryanair will hold you to it. Each passenger is allowed a certain amount of weight for all checked bags. When in doubt, pay for an extra checked bag when booking your ticket to avoid high fees at the airport.

4. Pack heavy items in a purse. Because they are not weighed, purses are excellent storage places for heavy items like cameras, laptops and books.

5. Arrive early. Seats on Ryanair are not reserved, so check-in lines form early and grow quickly. Because airline restrictions are so tight, passengers are often forced to leave the line, shuffle their belongings, and rejoin the line at the end. To avoid facing this problem close to flight time, arrive early.

6. Do the shuffle. Distribute weight between carry-on and checked baggage. A heavy carry-on may not be pleasant for airport navigation, but its weight allowance is near the checked-baggage limit.

7. Eliminate weight. Carry heavy jackets and wear your heaviest clothing and shoes to reduce weight in baggage.

8. Rearrange post-security. Once you are past the security checkpoint, move heavy items from a handbag into a carry-on, or move items as needed to create comfort for airport wait times. Jackets carried during check-in can also be moved to cabin baggage for ease of movement.

Tips & Warnings

• Read weight and size regulations carefully.

• Pack liquids in a clear plastic bag.

Resources

• Ryanair