How strict are EasyJet with cabin bag size?

[SalfordQuays]

Any EasyJet experts out there?

I don’t think I’ve flown with EasyJet before, but I’m flying with them next month. I’ve paid for a suitcase in the hold, but I notice the cabin bag permitted dimensions are 45x36x20cm. The cabin bag I usually take on flights is about 54x32x20cm. So it’s basically nearly 10cm too tall. I’m wondering if I’ll get on with that, or if they won’t let me.

It’s annoying because I just know that if I buy a smaller bag to comply with the rules, I’ll see people bringing enormous trunks on to the plane!!

I’ve seen them being extremely strict. It’s how they make money. There’s a very good chance they’ll make you check it and pay a lot for the privilege.

Extremely strict. I saw them turn someone away at the gate because her bag was 5cm too long. Every time I've flown with them, they've been on it, both from London terminals and regional airports. I would just use a smaller cabin bag.

I saw two people caught out last week. £48 to put a cabin bag your size in the cabin.

No, you won’t get away with it. They know when your boarding pass is scanned if you’ve only got the small under-seat size. They’ll ask you to put your bigger bag in the cage and it won’t fit. You’ll then have to pay before you can board.

It will be cheaper to add a large cabin bag to your booking now. Or get an under-seat size from Amazon and take that instead.

Really? That’s interesting as I fly with them several times a year and have never been stopped and have taken on bigger bags, or sometimes 2 when it’s only meant to be one?! Maybe it depends on who you get on the day - but they always seem so busy I’ve never even seen them check! Personally I’d chance it, but be prepared to pay extra for the hold if you have to (if it’s not too late by that point!)

I've been stopped and asked to put my bag in the cage. People were being made to pay extra if it didn't fit.

Sometimes they are strict. They made me try my ski boot bag on the flight back. Luckily I knew it was the right dimensions but I had to redistribute my stuff so it fitted the measuring cage.
If you have a checked in bag surely you don’t need a large cabin bag as well? It’s one of the advantages of checking in that you don’t need to lug a cabin bag round the airport.

If it’s a full flight they will walk down the check-in line and look at bags. If it’s half empty you might be fine

Usually they’re very strict. You won’t get away with 10CM they have a metal box thing to measure bags. I’ve seen them take bags off people that were already in the overhead lockers on the plane and then charge them for the hold. The person had tried to sneak it on to be fair but it was quite dramatic.

Don't risk it unless you're prepared to pay the extra.

They are strict. One time, I put my bag in the measuring gauge. It fitted.

Next thing, a member of staff demanded that I turn it round the other way...I have no idea why. It just fitted that way and no more.

There are 4 of us going, and we usually take 2 suitcases in the hold, and a cabin bag each. It’s more a question of whether I need to actually buy a new cabin bag.

Over the last year, they've checked all cabin bags in the gauge at the gate on the flights I've been on, except bags that are clearly handbag size.

I fly with EasyJet regularly and they are getting stricter about cabin bag sizes. They seem to be more vigilant when flying home from a foreign airport, so you may get away with it flying out and get fined flying back. Personally I’d just stick to the recommended size.

Do you have a rucksack you can take? I used my work laptop rucksack a few times before I bought a specific rucksack to avoid taking things in and out of my work bag.

Thanks everyone. I’ll buy a new one. I’ve found one for £15 on Amazon that claims to be EasyJet approved, so fingers crossed!

Flew from Luton to Spain in April and they checked both ways and were carrying the card machine making people pay for anything over. Not worth the risk

I fly regularly on easyjet and 90% of the time they are very strict. I wonder if there are bonuses or quotas. You won't get away with 10cm over and it could add nearly £100 to your trip as you have to pay both ways. Don't risk it.

Very - I had to pay £48 last year. Annoying because I was entitled to a 23kg hold bag but only needed a cabin bag, and left it late enough to tell me my bag was too big and they wouldn't put the cabin bag in the hold. Annoying.

I flew Easyjet with a friend inside the UK once on the way to a gig, she'd brought a cabin case that was too big and got charged at the gate. She amended her booking for the way back to allow her the bigger size so she wasn't caught out again. It doesn't just happen abroad.

Don’t be annoyed - they may have paid for a large cabin bag so can take a larger one.
We’ve flown twice with EJ in the past month and I think it’s unlikely you’d get away with the size you say as free luggage. Possibly ok if you pay for a large cabin bag.

Gatwick beginning of March they were very strict. Lots of people having to pay extra at the gate before boarding.

Ryanair also have strict policies for baggage size. Some days, they are completely ignored. Some days they check every bag. I have seen days where 1 person checking people on board has let everything through (bags way way over size and some people with 3 or 4 bags) and the other is pulling anything that looks vaguely over size for checking, and loads forced to be placed in the hold for extra fees.

whizz air is similar, I’ve been forced to check my cabin bag that was within regs and a colleague not only had a cabin bag and laptop bag but a big handbag as well! At least I wasn’t charged for that one.

often it’s purely luck of the draw who gets checked or pulled.

They’re strict. If you want to bring it on the plane pay to upgrade that’s what we do. Those people bringing “massive trunks” on the plane have probably paid for them.

I wouldn't risk it. I fly frequently with them and I'd say they've checked half the flights I've been on. It's about £45-£50 surcharge on the spot.
Put the exact measurements into Amazon and if there's wheels, make sure the measurements include wheels.
It needs to slot easily into this metal frame thing they have.

that is just what happened to me... it was a very full flight and they walked up and down the line asking people to measure the cabin bags in the cages...mine was a soft case and it was rather full, but I was able to take out a jumper and stick in my DC's carryon back pack.
I think if it hadn't have been a full plane, they would'nt have bothered because most people were in or almost within the allowance. Maybe some poor soul had to move their overstuffed cabin bag to checked luggage tho.