We’re flying with easyjet this week and I’ve recently bought a new bag to use as hand baggage, however it’s slightly larger than the stated dimensions and I’ve not got time to send it back (I should have been more organised and allowed more time!). It’s a soft bag and provided I don’t over pack it I’ll be able to ‘stuff’ it into the frame used to check the size of bags! Will this be OK or could they get a bit funny with me (and potentially charge for another hold bag)? Thanks.

IME they aren’t too agressive and it needs to fit in the box without force I think.

Why not buy another bag and send this one back?

In my experience, as long as it sort of fits, the staff are fine. It depends on the day though. I’ve been allowed to unpack a slightly over large bag and put items in my jacket pocket to make it fit. I’ve also seen them forcing someone to check a bag that was just a touch large.

Who knows? 🙂

It depends on the staff on the day, your attitude and, I expect, whether they like the look of you or not.

use those luggage straps and strap it to the necessary dimensions

never tried this personally as Im pretty sure you could get on plane with grand piano in Edinburgh airport.

But I assume if your luggage is squishy enough you could just compress it with those luggage ratchet straps you see in travel stores.

Trust me – despite their insistence that “staff are trained to strictly follow our baggage procedures at all times” they don’t.
I hope for your sake its not the Rome flight you’re on.
Unless you’re speedy boarding AND the first on there will not be enough room, they’ll put out an announcement offering speedy boarding for anyone who puts their bags in the hold.
There will then be about 50 who have 3-4+ bags who come forward and then STILL board with half a dozen more.
They’ll state that you are only allowed ONE piece of hand luggage. Plus passengers can also have a laptop or small underseat bag.
I’ve made a point of getting the Plus membership and always getting row 1-3 or 10 to get round this now.

This was Rome on friday.

In my experience it very much depends on a number of variables:

Plane arrives late – they have 10 mins to get everybody off then on again – you could take a grand piano through as hand luggage.

Plane arrives early – they apply all the rules with enthusiasm, and stand there making ladies stuff their handbags inside their cabin bags, and checking all the wheelie suitcases for size, then charging the people for putting them in the hold if they transgress.

First flight of the day – it can go either way !

I usually bring the biggest carry-on bag I can get, but soft sided. If the flight is full and they know the last 30 folk to board wont get their bags in the overhead lockers, they start confiscating hard case bags. If you have a soft bag they let you stuff it under the seat (I have short legs and tiny feet).

The way to beat easy-jet charges: don’t pick your seat, don’t queue for anything and listen out for the “free hold luggage” announcement. Take a soft bag with room for your handbag or manbag at the top. Board last. Its my personal airport challenge to swan on the plane last, looking relaxed, casual and unhurried. Sometimes it becomes a competition.

Cheers all, I’ll see how we get on then. I’m flying with wife, 3 yr old (who’ll only have a small bag of crayons etc) and a baby so hoping that I can point the cute and/or screaming baby at them and smile if challenged then stick the bag under the 3 year old’s feet! 😉

IME the harder suitcase like hand luggage gets more closely scrutinised that larger soft holdall type, they seem to ignore those.

Combat trousers and a actionman vest.

My hardcase carry on is bigger than easyJet allow. I’ve never been stopped with it, my ski boot bag is the same, quite a bit larger than allowed but I’ve not had an issue.

Its my personal airport challenge to swan on the plane last, looking relaxed, casual and unhurried. Sometimes it becomes a competition.

+1 easyjet casual

Don’t even go to the gate until you are sure its down to the last few boarders.

Take less stuff with you. I never use EVERYTHING in my bag anyway.

Just pack less, you should be OK (difficult with a baby, I know)
Easyjet are generally fair.

For reference, Mrs M and I have just had a holiday flight with Thomson, where the hand baggage limit is 5kg. They weigh it, too. We got away with 11.2kg between us, and no checked baggage.

I actually appreciate firms that are strict about carry on size – it absolutely boils my piss when some numpty with too much luggage tries to make room for it by slamming their suitcases into my reasonably-sized backpack, regardless of the Ming vases or whatever that I have inside it.

I’ve just packed the bags and it turns out that 2hold bags and a bike box is enough and so I’ll only need a rucksack as hand baggage after all! The new bag won’t be used and will be sent back! 🙄

What some people bring on really takes the piss.
Why I don’t sit there and think “good for you” I don’t know, all I want to do is throw them off the plane.

I’ve never had problems, though I usually just have more bags than technically allowed (along with carry on, either ski helmet bag or boot bag, or both. Depending on the weight limits for check in).

At check in you just present the hold luggage. Carry on bag(s) over shoulder or out of sight and they’ll never kick up a fuss. At the gate it’s too much hassle to argue, but if it’s an overcrowded flight they sometimes stuff some carry-ons in the hold. Though watching what happens from the window you might be concerned about valuable items, as I saw they shove stuff down a chute from the walkway to smash onto the ground and someone comes along to stick it in the hold.

Not done many budget flights in a while so maybe they are more strict given no one wants to pay for hold luggage.