Has anyone flown with Ryanair recently? What is the baggage like?

[PremiumPony]

My partner booked tickets with Ryanair. He went with the basic package and that says one small bag only. He didn't pick any checked luggage or priority boarding. He picked the most basic package.

With one small bag only policy it gives the dimensions and it's 40×25×20 cm or something like that.

I was considering buying a luggage bag but I think I will meet this with a backpack I have.

I have another issue now. Will Ryan air allow a handbag as well as 'one small bag only' or is the handbag supposed to fit the criteria. I won't be able to travel without my handbag. I will need my handbag to hold my phone, wallet, passport, boarding passes, travel bands, ear plugs, book. My partner can travel filling his pockets up. I'm not able to travel like that. My clothes done have pockets either.

I'm really going to struggle with one small bag only for a weekend.

Just in case I am not allowed a handbag:

I wonder would it be possible to get a crossover body bag and wear it over my shoulder and wear it short with my jacket over it. Would I be able to smuggle a handbag on my body like that along with a backpack of stuff.

I'm not doing anything like that. I am confident I will be able to get 4 days of clothes into my backpack with medicine bag, small toiletry bag (maybe), electronic bag - charger, toothbrush, thermometer, book.

I am anxious about a handbag. I usually always have a handbag and I will need a nag for travelling to the airport and for going through the airport and for the weekend away too.

I am reading different things on this thread from everyone. Some people are allowed a handbag and others aren't.

I am fairly confident my everyday handbag will be too big and I need to just plan. I need to plan a bag to fit into my backpack if I need to put it away. Either that or smuggle it under my jacket or in a shopping bag from beyond security.

I really don't want to pay 36 pounds both ways for a handbag. It's just too much.

How come other airlines you are allowed a carryon and also a handbag?

Really surprised at the number of people saying they check bags !
12 flights with them last year , never so much as a glance at the bag I brought on board .
Managed to pack enough for 6 nights on one trip .

Maybe it’s just the Dublin routes they don’t mind on ? But then I regularly fly back from London - no issues .

Even last weekend- the same .

And when you get on if there is space in the overhead just add the bag anyway .

I do remember them checking on flights years ago - maybe 6 years ?? But never in recent years .

You’ll be absolutely fine , OP !

I have this exact bag and do what you suggest @PremiumPony and use a small crossbody bag for passport phone purse and charger. Definitely not big enough for a book though and wear my coat over the top. Never been challenged and fly monthly with ryanair

This is what I need out of a handbag and this is packing light.

I will need to pack 2 phones, wallet, travel sickness bands, earplugs, earphones, small hand emollient, passports,

I would like to bring my Rubik's cube in case there is any delays.

Then at the airport - add boarding passes.

Then when on the trip away I will need to add some tablets (medicine), bottle of water.

The nice thing about flying with just an under-seat bag is that it IS your handbag.

When you get to your destination you dump all your crap out and use it as your daily handbag. And everything you need in a handbag goes into it at the airport.

It's an entirely different experience to having all your stuff in a wheelie case overhead.

Much more relaxed

I used the bag I linked above as my handbag when travelling and packed a smaller bag with me to use when away. I put my phone in the wee front pocket. Travel documents and passports were in a plastic A5 folder inside the bag.

How come other airlines you are allowed a carryon and also a handbag?

Because other airlines that are more expensive factor bags into the price. Which is why they cost more.

With RA you're getting a flight so cheap because you're paying for literally the flight. Seat choices and bags are a separate purchase.

So BA you might pay £200 but that includes seat choice and bag.

With RA you'll pay £45 for the flight but if you want to choose your seat and take a bag on board it's £45 plus bag cost plus seat cost.

Simple.

Then you must be travelling with the correct size bag.

I've flown with RA several times from different UK and Scottish airports to Europe and back in the last year and each time I've seen people have their bags questioned.

I didn't have my bag questioned because I bought the right size bag. It's not complicated.

What do you mean by - add boarding passes at the airport? You can't do this on Ryan air. You either print them at home, or have them in the app on your phone. If you want to print them at the airport they will charge you.

Flew at the weekend and they asked to see your bags - you kind of needed to turn around to show them, I fly frequently with them and this is the first time I needed to do that. I use a rucksack and the front pockets I use for passports, kindle etc. Does your jacket not have pockets? I put my phone, ear buds, keys there.

Flew Ryanair in Sept and saw 2 different people pulled out of the queue to put cabin bags in the hold (and charged extra) because their bags were bigger than the permitted size. They are strict....

Op, is there an iron at your accommodation. If so, could you vacuum pack your clothes to reduce space?

I don't usually fly Ryanair so I presumed I would have to go to a check in deck to get boarding passes.

I think I would need to print them for sure in case the phone goes dead or the internet doesn't work and the app doesn't load. So many possibilities.

I never realised I could print them at home.

I flew RyanAir in mid-November. If you go for the cheapest option, your bag must fit under the seat in front of you.

Your partner’s a cheap skate!

I fly with checked luggage and my backpack which can accommodate my small handbag plus laptop and book for the flight.

I could probably do a 3 days, 2 nights away with just my backpack but I don’t wear make up and I’d only take one pair of shoes.

@PremiumPony
you HAVE to print them at home (or perhaps download on your app- not 100% sure on that) or you will get charged. A lot! For a piece of paper.

Flew Ryanair in Sept and saw 2 different people pulled out of the queue to put cabin bags in the hold (and charged extra) because their bags were bigger than the permitted size. They are strict...

Yup, saw this just after Christmas with EasyJet. Passengers taking the mick having not paid for either in-cabin or checked luggage. It cost them £48

OP, if you want a bag that brings you to the limit of what Ryanair allow, get yourself a Cabinmax Manhattan rucksack.

If you want to bring your handbag, just take your coat off and drape over your forearm, it's great for hiding things! The duty free bag trick works as well. I saw an old couple whip out two duty free bags the last time I was at the airport, you should've seen the state of them (the bags I mean), they must have done more miles than Michael Palin. Savvy.

As for the just-pay-the-luggage crowd? Well, what started off as a token £2 or £3 is now an eye watering £25+ e/w for a 10kg case. So for tha' reason aahm oot.

Obviously it depends on your attitude to risk OP, but I'd just take a sightly larger rucksack and put your handbag in there. Two bags attracts more attention than a slight larger bag. I always use my CabinMax 45cm x 36cm x 20cm, which conforms to Easyjet's rules but not Ryanair, but I've never had an issue when travelling with Ryanair - it still fits under the seat in front. When I look round at other people's backpacks in the queue I reckon the majority are slightly above the guidelines. Just make sure you aren't one of the first on the plane - aim to be in the latter half, but not so late you attract attention. The staff just want to get boarded and take off on time, so as long as you aren't completely taking the piss, you'll be fine.

You can't even print your boarding pass now, it's all electronic.

I have a few different backpacks. I ahve a backpack that fits the Ryanair dimensions.

I have another backpack that is slightly larger but not by much. I think that bigger backpack would be great at fitting everything including a handbag for the weekend.

I think I have another hack to try to get a handbag on board along with the backpack.

Once I get beyond security, I could go into a toilet, take off my dress, cross sling the bag over my body and then out the dress back on and wear the handbag under my dress.

So there will be plenty of options bring a suitable sized handbag with me for the weekend.

That is so funny

i Use a cabin max rucksack with a crossover bag like the one below no problems ever

https://katieloxton.com/zana-slim-crossbody-in-soft-tan-klb2906?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqZqUzpHRgwMVjoRoCR03YAJXEAQYJyABEgLwdfD_BwE

That's mad.

It's not always great to have everything electronic. Just in case batteries got dead or systems go down.

A handbag like that will never be enough for me.

Ah reread your dress plan…that would work but might be a bit uncomfortable!

Yes you can