I’ve never been fined for oversized hand baggage. Here’s what I do at the gate as a travel expert

Getting the size of your hand luggage wrong, even by half a centimetre – or accidentally overpacking your bag so a pocket protrudes – can cost up to £60. 

It was revealed last summer that airline and ground staff are paid a bonus for the oversized bags they spot and charge passengers for, even if that’s just a handle or strap that doesn’t fit entirely in the sizing cage.

With soft-sided luggage, it’s become particularly difficult to be 100% sure you'll pass these aggressive bag checks, as a slightly bulging front may see you fined. 

I’ve been travelling on budget airlines for years, and have never been charged oversized fees for my bags, even when my case or rucksack is bulging a little.

Read on for six things I always do when flying with limited baggage that help me sail onto the plane without getting pulled aside – plus tips on what to do if airline staff claim your bag is oversized.

1. Have a duty free bag to hand

I’ll always stop at a shop in the duty free area and buy something small and cheap, like a bottle of water. When paying, I’ll ask for a medium or large duty free carrier bag.

That’s because most budget airlines like easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz allow you to bring one bag of duty free shopping on board alongside your standard baggage allowance. 

Then, if I spot bag checks taking place and I'm worried my hand baggage might bulge over the sizer, I can transfer one or two items to the bottom of the duty free bag. This tip works best with items that aren’t obviously personal items, like cosmetics and neatly folded clothes.

Just bear in mind that gate agents may ask to inspect your bag and can insist that you must pack any items you can’t prove are duty free shopping. Always check the rules of the airline you’re flying with.

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2. Avoid the baggage sizer

It may be tempting to try out the baggage sizer if you’re worried about your luggage, but I’ve learned to steer clear. Wrestling with the airline’s sizing cage only draws more attention to your bag, and gate agents on the lookout for opportunities to charge for oversized luggage may spot you and approach you for an official check, which could result in a fine.

If I really need to check the sizer or want to rearrange my packing, I’ll do so at another of the same airline’s gates, out of sight from the staff at my actual boarding gate.

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3. Stand at the back of the boarding queue

Being first in the line to board comes with the risk of standing in clear view of the gate agents. This gives them plenty of time to eye up your baggage and ask you test it in the sizer, before boarding has even begun.

Instead, join the back of the queue. That way, you’re likely to reach the airline staff as they begin to prioritise getting everyone onto the plane in time for take-off, rather than carrying out bag checks and fines.

Just watch out for gate agents patrolling the queues to spot bulky-looking bags. If you spot this, it could be worth leaving the queue and rejoining a little later. Just keep an eye on the time.

Paying for easyJet’s speedy boarding or Ryanair’s ‘Priority and two bags’ options may also help – I’ve spotted that agents sometimes check and charge passengers in ‘non-priority’ queues first.

4. Accept any offers to check bags free

When a flight is fully booked, airline staff sometimes announce they’re offering to check passengers’ bags into the hold for free to make space on board. 

When I’m concerned about the size of my bag, I’ll often take staff up on this offer. It’s less convenient and means waiting at baggage reclaim after the flight, but it has saved me from a possible fine more than once. 

Just make sure you remove your valuables, passport, medication and anything else you’ll need for your flight from the bag before handing it to the staff to be checked into the hold. You’ll also need to remove items that are prohibited for checked baggage, like power banks, batteries and e-cigarettes.

5. Carry bulky items by hand

If you’re struggling to slim down your case and are worried about being fined, try unpacking any items you can easily hold or wear in the queue. A large coat could be hung over an arm, a sweatshirt tied round the waist, headphones worn rather than taking up space in your bag.

Some airlines even specify extra items you may bring. For example, easyJet says that along with cabin bags and duty free shopping, you can also bring on board ‘an overcoat, shawl, umbrella or walking stick’. Wizz also states that you can bring ‘a coat or blanket, mobile phone, and reading material for the flight.’

Ryanair doesn’t specify what’s allowed onboard alongside your bag, if anything. However, I’ve often been waved through by Ryanair agents even when carrying a laptop or tablet, book, water bottle or coat. 

6. Pulled aside? Bring a tape measure

If you're stopped for a bag size check, take a moment to check whether the sizing cage is the right dimensions, and hasn’t been broken or adjusted. We’ve recently reported on passengers being charged even for size-compliant bags. 

One passenger was wrongly fined £96 by easyJet at Gatwick airport, due to an incorrectly assembled luggage sizer. Another suffered a similar issue at Chania airport in Crete.

Staff are unlikely to budge on their decision, so it’s worth bringing a small tape measure to check if the sizer is correct. That sounds ridiculous, but airlines sometimes ask for this as evidence.

If you can, take photographs of your bag in the sizer from every angle at the time of boarding – especially if something doesn’t look right.

How to appeal if you think you’ve been unfairly charged

Send a complaint to the airline providing your booking details, evidence of extra charges you’ve had to pay and evidence of the bag in question. It helps to supply a picture of it in the sizer. You may also be asked to send photographs of your bag next to a measuring tape.

For easyJet complaints, you can use this contact form. For Ryanair, fill out this complaints form.

Even if the airline rejects your complaint, contact the Alternative Dispute Resolution provider AviationADR. Though Which? has received complaints that its rulings take too long or can be incorrect, the service is free of charge, and the next step in escalating your complaint.