Aer Lingus has announced it will be extending its current 10kg carry-on baggage policy across all Aer Lingus Regional flights from early March.
Every fare type with Aer Lingus includes a 10kg bag as standard, and this can be checked in free of charge or carried on board by paying a fee.
The airline said that, in response to customer feedback, the policy will now be extended across the Aer Lingus regional network from March 3rd.
This move includes domestic flights within Ireland and the UK, flights between Ireland and the UK, and European flights.
This means customers who book a Plus or Advantage fare with Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional will have access to a 10kg carry-on bag inclusion, while customers who book a saver fare can pay to take a bag on board or check it into the hold for free.
AerClub members who hold Silver, Platinum and Concierge AerClub tier status will also receive 10kg carry-on baggage when flying with Aer Lingus regional flights.
The baggage policy applies to bags that are 55cm in height, 40cm in width and 24cm in depth.
Customers may also bring a small personal item – such as a handbag or laptop bag – on board free of charge, and this must be stowed under the seat in front.
Ryanair also made changes to their baggage policy last July.
Ryanair passengers could previously bring a bag measuring 40cm x 25cm x 20cm on board for free and place it under the seat in front of them.
Under the changes announced last July, the size of the bags permitted increased to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm, amounting to an extra 5cm along one side. This change came into force at the end of last summer.
The on-board baggage allowances of all airlines came under scrutiny by lawmakers in the EU last year, with members of the European Parliament pushing for changes that would force airlines to allow passengers to carry on two cabin bags at no cost.
The European Commission did not go that far but did agree on a standard size of small bag, which is 40cm x 30cm x 15cm.
Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said at the time that Ryanair wanted “our personal baggage allowance, our free bag allowance to be bigger than the EU standard so we’re moving ours up”.
