To not know what a 20kg suitcase looks like and think Ryanair will fleece me anyway?!

[Acunningruse]

Due to fly with bastard Ryanair this summer. We haven't flown in forever (years of UK self-catering holidays with small DC then post-poned holidays due to Covid) and therefore don't have any suitable luggage, nor, apparently, the brain power to work out what to buy!

We are getting a family pass thingy with Ryanair which means we get 4 x 10kg bags and 2 x 20kg bags. ALLEGEDLY this can be shared amongst us, ie, could have different weights between us but I'm not sure I trust Ryanair.

I have no idea what a suitcase suitable for holding 20kg looks like! I dont want to buy a huge one then find it's too big and I can't fill it within weight limits, but equally I don't want to get something too small!

If you have flown with Ryanair recently and used a 20kg baggage allowance, please could you send me a link or share a picture as to what suitcase you used?

Many thanks.

Just get one of those little suitcase things with a hook on it.

I've used it every time I've flown (including with Ryanair) and never been 'fleeced'

20kg is loads. Never had a suitcase weighing over about 17/18kg even when the allowance is higher.

www.amazon.co.uk/Accurate-weighing-suitcases-luggage-capacity/dp/B002EDGKZ0/ref=asc_df_B002EDGKZ0/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=205166379524&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13606112569386452715&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045987&hvtargid=pla-547015231627&psc=1

Actually they started charging for hand luggage because they could. It was always going to happen. The happy days of flying finished at least 10 years ago and even five years previous to that there were multiple stressful restrictions.

I haven't done a study obviously but I reckon that it's more expensive to fly now relative to inflation than it was 20 years ago just because there weren't all these stupid fucking add ons and everything was included. Now they want you to pay for a seat! And people go along with it, like morons - "well I've paid for my seat so I'm not swapping with you" etc. What the fuck do you think happens if you don't pay for a seat? They put you in the hold? You've got a ticket, so you've got a seat. Don't give them any fucking more.

help.ryanair.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360017825598-20kg-Check-in-Bag

Customers can pool or share their purchased baggage allowance with other passengers included in the same flight reservation when checking-in together. For example, if a reservation has two checked bags of 20kg (40 kg in total) one of the bags could weigh 15kg and the other 25kg (40 kg in total).

Make sure your bag does not exceed 20kg. If you need to add extra weight, you can add up to 3 extra kg to your bag during check-in online for €/£9 per each added kilogram. Any passenger exceeding their personal check-in baggage allowance will be charged for excess baggage at the rate prevailing on the day of travel. This is currently £/€11 per kilo (or local currency equivalent) if purchased at airport ticket desk/kiosk. For health and safety reasons Ryanair does not accept for carriage any individual item exceeding 32 kilos or with combined dimensions of more than 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth).

For me pooling the 2 * 20kg bags together isn't really that useful as it just helps if one bag is a bit above, one a bit below.

What would be useful is if the 10kg bags could be pooled as well. As having 2 large bags (which can easily go over 25kg with toiletries or 'heavy' shoes, etc) and only 2 smaller bags (plus if allowed any small cabin bags with shoulder straps) would be far easier with 2 DC. Do ryanair allow this?

Tbh we have never had issues with Ryanair. Flights always been on time, never got hassled about luggage or had anyone measuring our cases, booking has been straightforward, app easy to use. British airways however, different story!

@newname12345 you can do that by pooling checked luggage allowance together. The 10kg bags are not included in any price so don’t buy them if you don’t need 4 small suitcases. Buy 2 or 3 of the big 20kg instead and share the weight amongst those. Then everybody is allowed a rucksack-type bag in the cabin anyway, and you can add only as many small suitcases as you want.

Ryanair clearly show the 3 types of fare at the time of selecting your flight on the first page. The problem is, people click on the second one with added extras they don’t necessarily need, instead of selecting the ‘basic’ fare and adding stuff later on, as per their needs. The website is very easy to use but it requires people to apply reading comprehension and not just click on the first thing they see. Play around a bit and find the cheapest tickets for your family and their suitcase needs.

@EileenGC The 'family pass thingy' which the OP refers to includes either 1 or 2 (depending on the route) 20kg bags plus a 10kg bag for everyone. I definitely would never buy 10kg check in bags separately.

Trying to work if I ever use Ryanair whether the family pass would make sense.

The family pass is often too expensive unless you really do use all the luggage allowance they offer. 10kg bags are often the cheapest alternative and I buy them all the time, because I rarely need more luggage than that. The trick on the Ryanair website is to play around with the fares. Select the basic one and then try to add on all the extras you’ll need to see how that comes up. It might be cheaper to simply add individual bags rather than going for the higher cost and wasting some of the allowance. Or it might not, but do try a few options. Unless you’re someone who will make use of all the kgs of course!

Samsonite S'cure DLX Spinner, L (75cm-102L) - METALLIC GREEN amzn.eu/d/f2Edr8V

We have these. Packed full they’re anywhere between 18-24kg so about right as long as you don’t go OTT. We had no issues with Ryanair but they were stricter on baggage coming home.

Actually just realise we have these plus the next size up so you could go larger than the one I posted.

This is a zombie thread- the OP has long since returned from holiday!