EasyJet has responded to complaints about their temporary method for hand luggage checks.
The airliner introduced a trial of a new sizing cages on 'a small number of flights at Gatwick' and one passenger said on the easyJet Complaints Process Facebook page that their holiday group 'had a really disappointing experience'.
"Instead of placing bags into the measuring frame, staff are now using a box placed over the bag," the woman wrote on 10 April.
"This didn’t work well for softer bags — my husband’s bag, which was within the size limits but not full, didn’t hold its shape and was deemed too large, while mine (which was fuller) passed.
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"We fully understand that rules need to be followed, but this method doesn’t seem very fair for softer luggage.
"We asked if we could place the bag into a standard sizer instead, but were told that wasn’t possible."
She said 'after paying the fee', the group 'felt the situation could have been handled more professionally, as we were approached again later and it left us feeling uncomfortable'.
"Hopefully just a one-off, as we’ve always rated easyJet highly," the woman wrote.
Another passenger wrote anonymously on Facebook that 'it honestly felt like passengers were being set up to fail'.
"Especially since this sizer only appeared at the gate after [easyJet’s] display sizers everywhere at the airport fit just fine," they added.
Addressing the complaints, easyJet told LADbible that the dimensions of the sizers were the same as before and that the newer sizing cases were just a trial at 'a small number of flights at Gatwick' Airport.
“This was a limited trial on a small number of flights from London Gatwick, which has now finished, and there are no plans to roll it out across our network. Ground crew check bags to ensure they fit safely onboard and in fairness to customers who have paid to bring additional bags. Only if a bag is outside a customer’s booked allowance will they be charged and we remind customers of their bag allowance, including dimensions, before they travel,” the airliner said.
All easyJet passengers are allowed to bring one small cabin bag (max. 45 x 36 x 20 cm, including handles/wheels) for free, which must fit under the seat.
Passengers with Flexi fares, EasyJet Plus members, or who purchased a large bag, can bring an extra large cabin bag (max. 56 x 45 x 25 cm) for the overhead locker.
Both bags can weigh up to 15kg each, but passengers must be able to lift them.
There is also a maximum of two cabin bags per person - one small free and one large if paid/qualified.
Bags exceeding size limits, or do not fit in the gauge will involve airport fees of approximately £48.
EasyJet note that their excess weight fee of £12 'is applied for hold items weighing more than the pre-booked weight'. The maximum weight per hold item they can accept is 32kg.
Anish Vij