Ryanair announced it will reduce the number of carry-on bags allowed into the cabin by non-priority passengers this fall.
According to the BBC, the Irish low-cost carrier will allow just one piece of luggage into the cabin in an effort to combat lengthy flight delays. However, passengers will be able to check their second piece of baggage into the cargo hold free of charge.
Passengers can purchase priority boarding for $6.50 (?5) at the time of booking or $8 (?6) up to one hour before departure.
While Ryanair is dropping fees for larger bags from $45 (?35) to $33 (?25) to encourage customers to check more of their luggage, the budget carrier will also raise the check-in bag allowance from 33 pounds to 44 pounds.
The changes will take effect November 1.
The airline is citing "abuse" of its free second carry-on bag policy for the change.
"We're making these changes because our flights are so much busier," Ryanair chief marketing officer, Kenny Jacobs, told The Guardian. "A number of people will have two very large bags, taking up someone else's space. They'll hope they'll get away with it and generally, they have, but we don't want to go back to policing bags at the gate."
"These bag policy changes will cost Ryanair over 50 million euros ($59.6 million) per annum in reduced checked bag fees," Jacobs added.
Although passengers traveling with a pair of bags won't have to reach any deeper into their pockets, the new policy means that some travelers will have to wait for the rest of their luggage at baggage claim.
Jacobs told The Guardian that "more than 90 percent of the time your bag will be on the carousel when you get there" after clearing security.
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"We hope that by restricting non-priority customers to one small carry-on bag-their wheelie bag must be placed in the hold, free of charge at the boarding gate-this will speed up the boarding of flights and eliminate flight delays being caused by not having sufficient overhead cabin space on busy flights to accommodate over 360 carry-on bags," Jacobs said.
According to Jacobs, about 186 seats of a total of 189 seats will be occupied on a busy Ryanair flight, meaning the new policy could dramatically cut down on the time it takes passengers to board and find a spot for their carry-on bags.
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