Aer Lingus has decided to introduce a fee for passenger wishing to bring their full-size carry-on bag on board, following the policy introduced by many low-cost airlines in Europe.
It will still be possible to travel with a 10 kg carry-on bag free of charge, but in order to do that Aer Lingus passengers will have to check it in the belly hold of the aircraft, while a charge starting from €5.99 or £5.99 will be levied should passenger wish to bring the bag on board and store it in the overhead lockers. Usual dimension limits will apply: the carry-on bag should not be bigger than 55x40x24 cm.
This policy only applies to short-haul flights within Europe, while passenger flying transatlantic with Aer Lingus will still be able to carry their roll-on bag with them as well as a smaller personal item to be placed under the seat in front.
Some passengers, however, will still be allowed to bring the bag on board on all flights:
– Silver, Platinum and Concierge AerClub members;
– Bookings made with Plus, Advantage and Aer Space fares;
– Adults traveling with an infant;
– Passengers connecting to and from a transatlantic flight.
This new policy will apply on all short-haul flights, including services to and from the United Kingdom, starting on 29 June.
“All Aer Lingus customers can continue to carry one small bag on board for free. That bag must be within the correct dimensions to fit under the seat in front of them,” Aer Lingus said in a statement.
Most short-haul carriers in Europe have recently introduced charges for passengers wishing to carry their full-size carry-on bags on board the aircraft, including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air.