Ryanair is weighing a potential increase in staff bonuses for identifying oversized cabin luggage, as the Irish low-cost airline seeks to reduce delays and increase revenue from baggage fees.
Currently, Ryanair staff receive €1.50 each time they intercept a bag that exceeds the permitted dimensions. According to reports, this incentive results in an average of €80 per month per employee. A higher bonus is now under consideration, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary confirmed in a recent interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.
Under Ryanair’s current policy, passengers are allowed one small carry-on item with a maximum size of 40 x 25 x 20 cm and a weight limit of 10 kg. Bags exceeding these dimensions incur an on-the-spot charge of €75, either at check-in or the boarding gate.
Earlier this year, several European airlines reached an agreement on harmonising cabin baggage rules, with a recommended standard size of 40 x 30 x 20 cm. While this is not yet mandatory, Ryanair has indicated it will adapt its policy accordingly.
O’Leary said on Monday that while its fares would remain on average similar to 2023, he expects to improve profitability through cost control.
@rtenews Ryanair CEO, Michael O’Leary has said the airline is considering increasing commission paid to staff for every oversized cabin bag they identify. Mr O’Leary confirmed that Ryanair employees are paid around €1.50 for identifying oversized cabin bags. Link in bio to read more📲 #rtenews #ryanair #ireland ♬ original sound – RTÉ News
Meanwhile, a proposal under consideration in the European Parliament would require airlines to allow passengers to carry both a personal item and a small piece of hand luggage free of charge. O’Leary has, however, pushed back against the idea, arguing it is physically impossible due to limited space on board. He added that the airline’s strict enforcement policy is aimed at eliminating what he called ‘the scourge of passengers with excess baggage’.
’We’re flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one – because that’s all that fits in the plane. We’re already struggling with that amount of baggage. That’s one of the reasons we are so aggressive about ‘eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage’, he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
He added that 99.9% of passengers comply with baggage rules and that and that baggage sizers are available in terminals. He also said he is happy to incentivise staff with a share of the excess baggage revenue, which he expects will decrease thanks to stricter enforcement.
@ditismstalli Tik tok tik tok ⌚️😂 de hele rij moet bijbetalen…. Wat een bijzondere verdienmodel. 🤦🏽♂️
♬ Funny lazy donkey (hilarious song)(937200) – LEOPARD
The airline’s message is simple: ‘Please comply with our generous bag rules or you will be charged at check-in or at the gate’.
The news follows reports that EasyJet has been paying UK baggage handlers bonuses to enforce its own cabin baggage rules. EasyJet staff receive €1.40 per flagged oversized bag (about €1.20 after tax), a bonus worth roughly 10% of their hourly pay.
Ryanair reported a net profit of €820 million for the second quarter of 2025, up from €360 million the previous year. Revenue rose by 20%, boosted by fare increases – particularly for last-minute bookings. The average fare climbed to €51, marking a 21% year-on-year rise.
The airline also faces broader geopolitical risks. If a trade agreement between the EU and the United States fails to materialise, commercial aircraft could once again be subject to US tariffs. The exemption, originally established in a 1979 agreement, is now under review. Some European carriers have said they would be unable to absorb the additional costs if tariffs were reintroduced.
