An individual who flew with easyJet shared her experience of contesting a fine imposed by the airline for having an oversized bag. Louise Machin recounted feeling surprised and puzzled when easyJet staff charged her €58 (£51) upon her return from Chania Airport in Crete, alleging that her suitcase exceeded the size limit despite her careful pre-checks.
After reaching out to the bag manufacturer to verify compliance, easyJet reimbursed the fee. However, Ms. Machin, a 59-year-old resident of Crystal Palace, south London, is not the only one facing erroneous oversize cabin bag penalties. Consumer advocacy group Which? highlights issues with official bag sizers at certain airports leading to unwarranted fines for travelers.
Passengers of budget airlines have grown accustomed to verifying bag dimensions allowed onboard. While airports provide tools at check-in desks or boarding gates to reinforce regulations, discrepancies in sizers can lead to misunderstandings.
During a trip to Crete in April, Ms. Machin, a freelance film and TV sales director, encountered the issue. Despite paying for overhead cabin bags both ways, she was confronted at check-in on her return journey. Despite her bag fitting the sizer at London Gatwick on departure, ground staff at Chania Airport insisted it was oversized, creating a confrontational situation that led her to pay the fine to ensure her travel home.
Upon contacting the bag manufacturer, Cabin Max confirmed compliance with easyJet’s size restrictions. Cabin Max has previously addressed similar complaints from airlines regarding faulty sizers causing unjust fines.
Armed with support from Cabin Max, Ms. Machin successfully secured a refund from easyJet. Incidents of airlines wrongly penalizing passengers for minor size discrepancies, like protruding straps or handles, are not uncommon, with Ryanair even incentivizing staff to identify oversized bags.
Which? advises travelers to challenge unjust fees if confident in their bag’s compliance. Despite easyJet asserting no faults with the Chania Airport sizers, they refunded Ms. Machin, emphasizing standardized sizers across all airports and a commitment to addressing customer feedback on a case-by-case basis.