Offloaded because of misunderstanding
 

First time flying with FR again after about 5 years, and a simple error + bad communication from check-in staff got me offloaded and a bit annoyed today.

I booked a Plus fare for the 20kg check-in bag and a few days after booking I realised that this fare does not allow a cabin trolley. For some reason I couldn’t see the option to add a cabin bag specifically, but only the option to add a 10kg bag (with the cabin size dimensions).

Fast forward a few months, I showed up at the airport today having forgotten about the specifics of this booking with my 20kg check-in bag and small cabin size trolley (but confident that I had booked and paid for all the required extras). Check-in was quick and my 20kg bag was in the system in no time. The check-in agent said nothing about my trolley so off I went to the gate. Only when it was my turn to board, I was told that I couldn’t take the trolley, and I started to realise I had screwed up.

I thought that the issue could be swiftly rectified with a payment to either gate-check my trolley or pay to take it on board but no chance. Instead, I was sent back to check-in pre security, which was closed by the time I got there. I rushed back through security and to the gate to try to argue my “case” again but they said no, closed the gate and I was offloaded.

The flight left about 12 minutes late, which I think was due to them having to locate and offload my 20kg bag.

They quoted me a €100 change fee to rebook onto tomorrow’s flight. Is this reasonable? Or have I been involuntarily denied boarding?

Is it reasonable, not in my opinion. In practical terms, you had a a bag for which you had not paid the appropriate fee, so they could not let you board, so I can't see how it was an IDB situation. However their inability to charge the fee at the gate does seem rather unreasonable.

I agree. Normally, airport staff elsewhere has no issue extorting hundreds of Euros at the gate for oversized hand luggage on FR flights. I believe often such luggage is gate checked, i.e. getting into the hold, if exceeding the dimensions for (paid) hand luggage with FR.

But IDB? No, because you brought hand luggage that you hadn't paid for.