EasyJet hand luggage question

[MardAsSnails]

Potentially stupid question alert.

Some of my friends have had issues with easyjet recently where their cabin bags being taken off them at the gate, despite having fragile things in them. I suspect they were boarding last though, and these will have been to the maximum size limit allowed.

If my hand luggage is small enough to go under the seat, are they likely to take it off me if too many cabin bags are already on board?

My usual hand luggage bag is a small laptop rucksack (within the sizes they state as the additional small bag allowable for flexi, upfront or extra legroom) however it’s no way suitable for in the hold if they take it off me - it’s soft leather and marks easily. I travel a lot (2-3 return trips per month) but usually long haul on so-called premium airlines without strict handluggage rules - never short haul with a budget carrier.

If I book extra legroom or up front seats, would I be guaranteed that the ‘small bag’ is within the cabin with me? It’s a 1h 40 flight so not fussed where I sit, however if this will mean no handluggage issues, then I’ll do it.

Isn’t it wheelie cases they take off people?

Study the EasyJet website about baggage policy.

If you pay for Speedy Boarding they allow a second small hand luggage and because you board before the majority it’s less likely any bag will be taken off you as the lockers won’t have filled up.

Extra legroom often means you are near an exit so can't put items under the seat. If the flight is full you may have to put the cabin bag into the hold so worth packing anything fragile or valuable in a smaller bag you can take out.

We flew with Easy Jet at Christmas and they seemed to remove wheely case hand luggage from the last few groups of people boarding as they reached the steps of the plane. If you want to avoid this I would make sure you’re not the last to board. I’m not sure if you can pay extra to book priority boarding.

If you pay for extra legroom seats you won't have seats in front of you, I think, so you wouldn't be able to put the bag there. If it's your additional small bag I'd be surprised if they took that into the hold - it's normally larger bags eg suitcases that are taken.
If you board earlier then it's unlikely to be an issue.

I fly with Easyjet almost weekly - never seen the small bags taken away and also haven't seen any bags taken away from people who have the right to take 2 (speedy boarding/upfront seat/easyjet plus).

I fly Easyjet often and have never seen a small bag be taken from someone unless they are carrying two. If your small bag is your only hand luggage and you are confident it is of 'under the seat' dimensions, it's extremely unlikely to be taken off you.

To avoid any worry, you could book speedy boarding, which allows you two guaranteed bags and getting on the plane first.

TheRedBarrows the website states that hand luggage may be taken off you at the gate if the lockers are full. Nothing stated about whether it would fit under the seat in front then it’ll be ok. I’m assuming it’s just wheely cases / the big ones to the maximum size, but nothing that I’ve seen states whether this would be the case or not.

LIZS So, in theory, if they let you take a smaller bag of fragiles out, they must therefore allow a smaller bag on board? The bag is smaller than your typical laptop bag even.

I’m not seeing anywhere to add speedy boarding - the ticket is booked, but I didn’t add seats at the time (as I say, it’s very short haul so don’t care about the actual seat). There’s still ‘up front’ left, so maybe I’ll do that if it means a guaranteed under seat bag.

Booking an up front seat will also give you speedy boarding

I've been on flights where bags have been taken off people. They count larger bags on, then take them off people. Last flight, they counted my wheelie case and cabin max backpack, but not the smaller backpack (3 or us). Flight before that, one of the last to board, allowed to keep smaller backpack.

Thanks all. It’s is most definitely ‘small bag’ size and goes under the seat in front every time. I’ll have a look via the actual website though for speedy boarding - it’s not coming up as an option on the app.

Priority/speedy boarding will ensure u get in first so shouldn't be issues with space in the overhead lockers as it's usually at the end that there's no space left then they put the bags in the hold

You can take at least a small handbag into the cabin but you have to present at the boarding with just one bag, so it needs to fit inside.

You’ll be fine. This is all a result of EasyJet charging for hold luggage. Now most people take small cases on as hand luggage to avoid paying for hold luggage (and to avoid waiting for their hold luggage to come off the plane and onto the conveyer belt things).

This means that on a full flight, there isn’t enough room in the overhead bins for everyone’s cases. While you are queuing at the gate, they will try to persuade people to volunteer to have their cases put in the hold by waiving the normal hold baggage charge. If they don’t get enough volunteers, they’ll take the bags off the last people in the queue once they’ve reached the limit for the overhead bins. I’ve seen cases taken off people already boarded when there just wasn’t anywhere to fit them in.

If your bag will fit under the seat in front, there’s no problem. This is your space. DO NOT book an extra legroom space or the front row of seats. You want a standard seat with a seat in front of you so that you have an allocated space for your bag.

I have flown with Easyjet a lot and have never had hand luggage taken away.

I flew easyJet a few weeks ago. Dds wheelie cases fit under the seat in front. They wanted to take the bags off us but explained to the check in chap that they fit under the seat. He was fine with this.