Flying with EasyJet

[expatinspain]

Can anyone tell me if EasyJet is very strict with their hand luggage policy? I've read on the website that you can't take a handbag as well as a cabin suitcase. Do they actually enforce this policy? Seems a bit crazy, as if you end up having to check the cabin suitcase on the plane due to them running out of space, you have nowhere to put your travel documents to get through passport control at the other end?!

Yes. We flew with them last week and after 70 people they took people's suitcases off them and put them in the hold. People were routing through their bags for a hand bag or carrier bag.

They don't seem to take rucsacs off people though, just suitcases. We always travel with rucsacs as hand luggage and have never had them taken from us, despite bring after the bag cut off. I always have a small handbag easily accessible just in case though.

I had a handbag and a small cabin bag, I had flown out with the same luggage on Easyjet, when returning I wasn't allowed to board with both, and they charged me £50 to put my cabin bag in the hold.

Sometimes, enough that I wouldn’t personally take a chance. Unless the handbag is small and can fit into the main hand luggage.

Small handbag that fits in the cabin bag (need to leave space for it). Breeze through the boarding gate with one bag and take out the handbag on the plane. Can also take it out quickly if your cabin bag is chosen to go in the hold.

You can have the extra bag if your ticket is the Plus fare one, otherwise it’s just the one bag.

Cabin bags

You can take ONE cabin bag per person on board

^from their website. They have capitalised the word one in order to emphasise that you can just take one bag.

Why are you considering more than one?

I always travel with a smallish 'handbag' that can fit inside my carry-on. It holds travel docs, small bottle of water and the minimum of stuff I'll want on the flight. At the gate I stuff it into my carry-on, if they're fussy. Added advantage is that they often ask for volunteers to put their carry-on into the hold in exchange for an upgrade of some sort. I take my handbag out and hand over my carry-on.

Yes. Have a small handbag that you can stuff in your carry-on at the gate. Take it out on the plane.

Yes they are strict. If they need to stow your bag they ask you you to remove valuables etc and you can stow them in a smaller bag under the seat in front of you. I always have a small handbag inside anyway, to take out during the flight.

Yes, they are very strict and will stop you at the gate if you are holding more than 1 item of baggage. Put your handbag inside your hand luggage.

I've seen them stop people for this many, many times and the passenger is always narky about it, despite the rules being very clear. Don't be that person furiously fannying around with their bags on the floor at the gate, delaying everyone else behind them!

Have a lovely trip

Yes they enforce it.
Pack a thin hand bag or cheaply drawstring bag from the pound shop with your fflight essentials.
Pack it into the suitcase before you head to the gate and remove when on plane or if they pack your bag in the hold.

That way you don’t leave anything valuable / essential in the hold as a result of the rush re bags at the gate.

Also wear your headphones and neck pillow if you use and pop phone / book/ etc in pocket . I have a packable down coat with odd huge inside pockets which is great

Thanks for the info. I'll make sure I can fit my handbag in my carry on!! Obviously they'll have to let me take it out if they put my carry on on the plane as it will have travel documents, phone etc in!

We flew to Spain on Monday, I had packed my cabin bag with a “gap” to fit my handbag. They stopped a woman a couple in front of me for having a cabin bag and handbag. Is towed my handbag for about 30 seconds to go through the boarding gate then immediately got it out ready for boarding.

Cabin bag in overhead, handbag under seat and accessible

I think you can take a duty free bag as well, so just buy a book/sandwich or something at the airport, which gives you additional bag space. Also, if they tag your luggage to go into the hold, just take the tag off before your bag is whipped away (unless you want it to go into the hold).

Yes, they stopped me at the gate and I had to wedge my handbag into my carry on (my fault, I know).

If you are on Three mobile network you can get free ‘hands free’ with EasyJet, which allows you to check your bag for free and carry your handbag on board. Your case will also be first off the plane.

I prefer to travel with hand luggage only if I can help it but we used this service recently and it was really good.