Two of Europe's three largest low-cost airlines are changing their carry-on and checked baggage allowance rules starting November 1. As a result, flying with Ryanair and Wizzair will become slightly more expensive, reports Travel.ru.
Both carriers have introduced a fee for carry-on baggage. Ryanair and Wizzair now allow only small carry-on baggage (plus purchases from Duty Free or other airport shops in the "clear zone") to be carried on board free of charge. The permitted dimensions are 40x30x20 centimeters for Wizzair and 40x25x20 centimeters for Ryanair (though the latter claims that the actual dimensions of its carry-on baggage measuring devices at the boarding gate are 42x30x20 centimeters).
This is where the differences begin. Wizzair, which serves several routes between Hungary and Russia, offers the following options (price varies depending on the route): "large carry-on baggage" (55x40x23 centimeters and no more than 10 kilograms), "small baggage" (10 kilograms), "medium baggage" (20 kilograms), and "large baggage" (32 kilograms).
As you can see from the company's website, prices vary even on similarly long routes. "Large carry-on baggage" costs €8 on the Moscow-Budapest route, €9 on the Moscow-Debrecen route, and €10 on the St. Petersburg-Budapest route. "Small carry-on baggage" costs €8, €7, and €10, respectively; "medium carry-on baggage" costs €22, €19, and €25; and "large carry-on baggage" costs €33, €30, and €38. On other routes, prices may be higher or lower—for example, "large carry-on baggage" costs between €5 and €12, depending on the route. These prices apply when booking in advance on the website; prices at the airport are significantly higher.
Ryanair has fixed prices for some items, which are €6 for a "large carry-on" and €8 for a "small bag" at the time of booking. Adding a bag later costs €2 more for both items, and even more at the airport. The number of "large carry-on" items is limited to 95 passengers per flight. The price of a "medium bag" is variable and can range from €15 on a short-haul flight to €35 on a long-haul flight.
The third leader in the European low-cost airline market, easyJet, is abstaining from this race. The company continues to allow all passengers to bring a "large" carry-on bag free of charge (with even larger dimensions—56 x 45 x 25 centimeters—and no weight limit whatsoever). Passengers who purchase premium seats (costing between €12 and €40) can also bring a smaller bag measuring 45 x 36 x 20 centimeters. A cheaper way to accomplish almost the same thing is to check the "large" carry-on bag for €7 (€16 for three people) and also bring a laptop or other small bag into the cabin. Various standard checked baggage options cost between €12 and €44, depending on weight and route.
Source: travel.ru