Small bag definition
 

I have never flown Ryan Air before, and from what I have seen briefly on this forum, it looks like a "fine" airline. They define a small bag as 40 x 25 x 25 cm. My wife and I both use standard backpacks, both of which are greater than this size. Do we need to prebook these as carry ons and pay the extra fees? Or if we carry them on our backs as we normally do, will we likely be OK? Both can fit under seats in front of us on normal airlines (not including RJ's...this is a Boeing 737).

I read the thread and see commentary re: the checked bag size, but I could not find one on small bags, at least not in the last couple of years.

Is this going to be a problem? If so, we need to buy new backpacks or throw away more money. All input greatly appreciated. From what I see, the "fines" are nasty if you they catch you in non-compliance over anything at the airport. Thank you.

Ryanair have a good reputation for safety, and they generally do a good job of shifting thousands of people round Europe every day. Their customer service is what's earned them a poor reputation, but my last (and only) recent experience with dealing with 'them' by on-line chat was very positive. I have found their flight crews to be usually OK, friendly and chatty, certainly no more rude than of Finnair, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthnasa, KLM, etc.

Like it or not, Ryanair is a success story. As Michael O'Leary puts it: "Our planes are full of people who hate us!" There are a couple of books about Ryanair's history, where a chap travels to various destinations around Europe - I enjoyed reading them (around 15 years old now?) and would recommend them. Of course, dated now.

That's the size for the small bag. You have been told. It's ridiculously small, I know. Used to be bigger. A bigger 'bag' ('small rucksack/daypack') will also easily fit under the seat i front of you, but it all depends who's at the gate/check-in counter. A couple of years ago I asked the Ryanair lass (at a queue for another departure than mine) what she thought of the size of my daypack (it was a bit over in all directions) and she said "Does it fit under the seat? If so, that's OK." I have had no problems with Ryanair 'measuring me up', ever. You can put underpants and socks in your jacket pockets, and stand at the end of the queue so that when you get to the gate they're too rushed to bother to check anymore.

If two of you, why not have one item that goes in the hold? A rucksack is much easier to carry than a silly suitcase. OK, it may cost you 45 Euros (one way) but you've already saved 400 Euros on the ticket price compared to a 'major' airline!

Food? Make your own/buy at the airport - but remember this will also count as 'luggage'! You could eat before the gate. In-flight entertainment? Read something, or take paper & pen and write your memoirs. I like to look out of the window on planes; I still think it's amazing to be zooming along at 900-1200 kilometres/hour 13-14 kilometres high - most people simply don't comprehend/appreciate this. When you have driven he same distance by car (as I have) then 2.5 hours certainly beats 2.5 days!

Enforcement of carry-on bag size varies greatly, depending on staff. Usually they are concerned with getting the flight out on time first and foremost and don't bother - but sometimes they do bother and then you basically have no choice except to pay up (especially when the sizer comes out not at check-in but at or even past the boarding gate when it's too late to do anything but pay) .
My advice would be to not buy new smaller bags but simply not use the full capacity of your existing backpacks so they'll comply with the size requirements with a bit of squishing and fit through the sizer when asked to put through at check-in. That has worked for me on a great many trips on Ryanair-style airlines all over the world without ever getting into trouble (not on Ryanair itself, that company is on my "avoid at all cost" list ever since they pulled a O'Leary hissy fit stunt in 2008 by leaving my home airport over a "I want you to lower fees for me and if you don't agree, well" dispute with no notice leaving employees and customers out in the cold". That cost me more money than anything ever saved with their admittedly cheaper-than BA-and Easyjet tickets)
Ryanair got into some hot water with Spanish authorities a year or two ago with really bad press and a public outrage at enforcement of their policy of including airport-bought food in their minimal hand-baggage allowance and charging excessive fees for bringing it on board (Next Level: Ryanair Tried To Charge Passengers $100 To Bring 2 Cakes Onboard) and enforcement has been scaled down as a result. The airlines have zero desire to see these practices challenged by legislation or high court decisions, which could well happen in the EU.