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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Stephen Hayward

Cheap flights DOUBLE in price as budget airlines hike hold luggage charges

Holidaymakers are facing sky-high luggage charges that mean the price of cheap flights more than DOUBLE if they put bags in the hold.

The sneaky charge is often displayed as an “opt in” extra during the booking process on budget airlines.

The Sunday Mirror found a £50.15 return from Luton to Croatia in October, with easyJet, shot up by £59.48 to £109.63 when hold baggage was booked.

And consumer group Which? found a £30 return from London to Majorca with Ryanair jumped to £79.

Passengers can also be charged £70 extra each way if their cabin bag exceeds the airline’s size limit. But Which? says it is so “minuscule”, you can only pack one change of clothes.

Passengers can be charged £70 extra each way (Getty Images)

Ryanair allows cabin luggage measuring 40 x 20 x 25cm, the size of a laptop bag. EasyJet allows bags of 45 x 36 x 20cm, but anything bigger incurs a charge of £5.99 upwards.

Which? said: “For many, luggage is essential, and it’s time the likes of Ryanair treated it as such.”

Ryanair said its baggage policy is “transparent”. EasyJet said the fact hold bags can cost more than the flights shows how cheap the flights are.

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