It has only been a matter of time before this would come, and here it is. New rules concerning hand luggage, making the airlines able to make you pay more for the luggage you bring with you. The question is only when RyanAir, EasyJet and the rest of the low cost airlines follow Wizz Air’s example. But what are the new luggage, or let us say hand luggage policy from Wizz Air about? As of know when you do booking you can get one hand luggage for free, but the max size is 42x32x25cm, which is small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Until now the size has been 55cmx40cmx20cm.
For larger hand luggage, with size up to 56x45x25cm you will now have to pay, and the price is 9 GBP or 10 Euro. This is of course if you book it as your order your flight online.
Here comes the official information from the Wizz Air homepage: (source)
Beginning October 04th, passengers booking Wizz Air seats* for travel from October 24th onwards can travel with a free small cabin bag (up to 42x32x25cm) or pay a ₤9 online fee to bring a large cabin bag (up to 56x45x25cm) on board. Goods purchased at the airport after security (an important source of revenue for Wizz Air’s 81 airport partners) will continue to be allowed in the cabin for free. This new policy does not apply to bookings made before October 04th or for flights departing before October 24th, except on the trial route London-Katowice where this policy already applies. Wizz Air believes this new ₤9 large cabin bag online fee will incentivize passengers to bring smaller bags on board the aircraft while only those choosing to bring large bags will pay for it. For new bookings on flights departing from 24th October, all Wizz Air fares will be discounted by ₤4.5 ** to share the expected cost savings with our passengers.
New cabin baggage policy from 04 October
| Cabin Baggage Type | Size (volume) | Examples | Fee |
| Small cabin bag | Up to 42x32x25cm; (30 L) | handbag, small backpack, laptop bag, (must fit under the seat) | FREE |
| Large cabin bag | Larger than small cabin bag and up to 56x45x25cm; (60 L) | trolley bags
| ₤9 (online) |
Cabin baggage policy: 1 small cabin bag OR 1 large cabin bag per pax. Goods purchased at the airport after security will also be allowed in the cabin for free! | |||
Michael Powell, CFO of Wizz Air, said:“When it comes to low fares Wizz Air knows no half measures! Wizz Air is announcing its new and innovative cabin baggage policy after a successful trial confirmed that more onboard space and cost savings are achieved when passengers bring less large bags into the cabin. With the vast majority of passengers willing to bring smaller bags on board we are now the first European carrier to eliminate a chronic problem in the airline industry faced by all airlines, but, even more important for consumers, Wizz Air is again pioneering in delivering lower fares by passing on the cost savings in the form of discounted fares for all passengers. We leave it for high fare airlines to tackle their costs by raising fares and levying unavoidable fuel surcharges while Wizz Air passengers will continue to pay only for the services they use. Today we encourage our passengers to travel smart and bring only a small bag on board. To pass on the expected cost savings we are immediately discounting by ₤4.5 all fares available for booking under the new cabin bag policy at wizzair.com.”
