Ryanair has announced a 33% increase in the cost of baggage charges in what they describe as an attempt to ‘incentivise passengers to travel light’. However, this will only apply to the months of July and August, the time when the majority of families take their annual holiday.
Surely, if the real reason is to ‘incentivise’ and not to ‘make more money’, then it would be applicable all year round. The airline wants to get down to having only 25% of passengers checking in baggage on summer flights.
Just how many families with young kids can manage to go for a two week vacation using only hand luggage, the dimensions of which seem to be on a downward spiral? There is a choice, of course, one can always opt to travel with an airline which permits you to take a change of clothes with you, sometimes necessary on a long holiday.
Last year, Ryanair earned £500 million from its ancillary services, almost one-fifth of its total revenue. Cheap is not always as cheap as it seems.