Carry On / Cabin Baggage Sizes (Vueling /VY, TP / TAP, RyanAir / FR)
 

I have a Rimowa 22" Roller (https://www.pertutti.com/product/rim...inch-81053324/) measurements on the website are 21.7 x 15.7 x 9.1 inch (55 x 40 x 23 cm). The only measurement in question is the depth, which can be squeezed together if they need to put it in the baggage cage to verify size (I think). Vueling, TAP, and RyanAir all have stated cabin carry ons as 55 x 40 x 20...and all three of these airlines are known to go around trying to hammer people with baggage fees. While I've never flown any of these airlines before, do any of you have experience on this? Will this bag be ok to carry on or will I be forced to check it in? Just don't want to assume I'll be fine because other airlines in Europe consider this an ok carry on and be asked to pay 80 euro to check it at the gate! Thanks for any help provided.

Ryanair - if you have priority boarding and the bag looks carry-on sized you'll get on. They can always ask you to put it in the sizer, and if it's oversized then you'll have to pay to check it.
TAP - they have sizers at the gate - if it doesn't fit, under the plane it goes. YMMV on whether they check. They're more likely to weigh it if you go to the check-in counter.
VY - same.

Ryanair - note their cabin baggage policy, you can only bring a (properly sized) carry-on if you've paid for Priority.

Ryanair and Vueling agents both have very sharp eyes for spotting oversized bags (I wonder if they get a commission for each penalty charged), I would not risk it. YMMV but I see them catch people out very often.

They do.

Flew on TAP last week from ORY to OPO, and OPO to MAD (on Portugalia) and my carry-on was not measured or weighed. I checked-in on line and did not go to the counter at the airport.

Hi all, I have rimowa aluminum case of cabin plus size (57cm x 44cm x 25.5cm). It is very obvious that this won't pass the sharp eye of the ryan air staff to be carried into the cabin. I don't mind the option of paying extra to get it checked-in but even the size restriction for check-in luggage is same as the cabin one 55 x 40 x 20. Do you know how strict they are for check-in luggage? If I don't have any better option, mind as well fly with different airline.

I'd love to just check in online and avoid the counter altogether but we'll be checking in a large suitcase so when we drop it off, I'm nervous they're going to try to measure and squeeze us. Would it just be better to buy check in for three bags and avoid the hassle? I've read horror stories online about passengers who have paid for baggage and they're still being charged for baggage at check in...UGH freaking European low-cost carriers! I have no choice for flights except these three airlines, pick my poison!

You're overthinking this - all 3 are perfectly fine airlines. FR is low-cost, VY and TP are more similar to what you get in the US.

Overall, between the three, all other things being equal, I'd probably choose TP - you'll get a drink and maybe a sandwich on board (the other two will charge you for food/drinks).

If you have multiple people traveling and are checking in only a single suitcase - have that person check-in the suitcase and the others do not need to visit the counter. It's as simple as that.

Note that if you are not from the EU and you fly Ryanair, you will need to get a 'visa check' at the counter BEFORE security, otherwise they will deny boarding. So you will still have to visit the counter.

Isn't there also a rule that non-EU passengers have to either print out the boarding pass on paper or pay the boarding card re-issue fee at the airport so that FR can put a stamp on the ticket?

Yes, this stamp is the 'visa check' stamp (which they supposedly cannot put on a phone, hence the rule that the boarding pass must be printed out). Lots of hoops to jump through with Ryanair!

yea we are not from the EU so we'll need to print boarding passes. are mobile boarding passes not available to non-EU pax?

Not on Ryanair.

ok im gonna stay away from ryanair. i have three legs to take within europe, two i think i'll go with vueling and the last one i'm going with iberia. their cabin baggage allowance seems more generous than the other airlines. just hope vueling doesnt check my carry on!

Here's a picture of the current FR sizer (sorry for the quality) I took at PMI on Sunday:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5b2d5062e9.jpg

It is open in front, which would make it a lot harder to enforce the 20 cm depth. Not sure if this is the norm at every airport now. In the past, I've also seen them as very strict an eager to collect the checked baggage fee.