Ryanair Cabin Baggage

[Baboonboy]

How strict are Ryanair with the size of your cabin bag? I've found a great bag from IT Lightweight luggage. It's alot smaller (43x33.5) than the 55x40 but its 21cms wide (rather than 20cms). These bags are sold as cabin bags and, yet, many airlines have a 20cms width limit. I've never seen the "cage" you have to put the bag into. Does it have a any leeway?
Many thanks
BB

[Baboonboy]

PS it says its 20cms wide on the Matalan website but I've checked the label and its definitely 21cms - we didn't buy one straight away for that very reason.

[janbee]

I saw some on Amazon that were 'approved' by Ryanair.

[jno]

this is a recent report: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-advice/10298085/Ryanair-what-size-bag-qualifies-as-hand-luggage.html

[tezmand]

you do have to put it in the cage unless the flight is running late , then they are more bothered about getting you on the plane , i fly 4 times a yr with ryan air .width may be a problem with the cage but length i find is easier to get away with as they watch you put it in but dont check to see if any is protruding over top unless you get a very arsey member of crew, 1cm really isnt nothing if its not a hard shell case u shud be ok it will squeeze in

[zebo]

We've been a few budget flights recently and they all seem to be far more relaxed about baggage, not even worrying too much about an extra handbag. In the past I've had to cram my Kindle into my pocket but now no-one seems to bother.

[Baboonboy]

Thank you everyone. Its quite a soft bag with what I would describe as a "cardboard" reinforcement in the bottom of the bag so should be fairly flexible. And the other dimensions are well inside the allowance. Its weird that you can take 10kgs on the plane and yet only 20kg in the hold. If I diet and lose 2kgs before I go will they let me take 22kgs instead? : )
Thanks again. BB

[KARL]

This is my second attempt at responding - can't find the first anywhere, it is lost somewhere on AB.

The difference between the dimensions of 20cm and 21cm will disappear, provided the bag and its contents are flexible, when you put the bag into the utterly inflexible cage. In my opinion, the staff are looking out for obviously oversized bags, although mine which is smaller than the allowance yet I was once directed to put it into the cage.

As for the 10kg weight limit, only once have I seen a check at the gate and a bag belonging to an adult travelling with two children was overweight. They transferred things to other bags and pockets of their winter clothing, and presumably hit their target and proceeded onto the aircraft. Think of the absurdity: The extra 800-900 grammes was part of the payload anyway, quite possibly back in the bag just a few steps down the corridor.

A weight check for the hand baggage is more likely when you drop off hold items at the check-in desk, and you are more likely to be subject to checks at UK airports.

[douglas9401]

Any time I've had my bag checked by Ryanair (Edinburgh airport) they've sent an operative out with a cardboard sleeve thing to slip over cases rather than use the steel cage.
They're not as hard faced as they used to be, I think it'll be fine.