Ladbible X Whatsapp
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Mother-of-three reveals hilarious way she dodged Ryanair's 'ridiculous' luggage charge

Home> Lifestyle> Travel

Updated 11:24 8 Jun 2025 GMT+1Published 11:01 8 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Mother-of-three reveals hilarious way she dodged Ryanair's 'ridiculous' luggage charge

Talk about thinking outside the box

Joshua Nair

Joshua Nair

A woman came up with an unorthodox solution when she was penalised for the size of her luggage at the airport.

We all know how troublesome it can be with the exact dimensions of your bag when flying.

Just one inch over, and you'll be forced to fork out an amount that can dwarf the price you paid for the plane ticket itself.

Bags in the exact sizes required for a lot of these budget airlines then, are a must-have, with numerous passengers being caught out on their travels.

Advert

Natalie Sadler, a mother-of-three, was one of these unlucky flyers, but still found a unique way to make it onboard the plane with all of her belongings after being threatened with the infamous baggage charge.

The incident occurred on the way back from a trip to Magaluf (Kennedy News and Media)
The incident occurred on the way back from a trip to Magaluf (Kennedy News and Media)

While boarding her Ryanair flight from Palma de Mallorca to Leeds Bradford on 20 May, she recalled that she was asked to put her suitcase in the baggage sizer.

Having gone the extra mile and paid for priority boarding for the family trip to Magaluf, meaning that she could carry both a personal bag (40x20x25cm) and a 10kg bag (55x40x20cm) on board, she was shocked when told her 10kg bag was too big.

Claiming that it was a 'thumbnail' over the limit and that one of the wheels was sticking out, Natalie faced a fine of €70 (£59) to bring the bag with her, as a staff member allegedly told her she had to pay or face the prospect of being left behind.

Advert

The Brit claimed that the member was 'rude', and that she didn't want to pay the fee because of that.

Thinking quickly, the mum went to a bar in the terminal and asked for a bin bag, into which she emptied her belongings.

Natalie left the bag behind, boarding the plane with her personal bag and a large plastic bag full of clothes, in a sight you don't see every day.

The mum claimed that onlookers applauded the hilarious move.

The mum found a way around the restriction (Kennedy News and Media)
The mum found a way around the restriction (Kennedy News and Media)

Advert

While she admitted that she wasn't 'going to dispute' that the bag was a tad too big for the baggage sizer, Natalie added: "She [a Ryanair staff member] was like, 'If you don't pay €70 you'll get a new flight home. I'll send the flight without you'.

"It wasn't the money, it was the principle at this point because she was so rude."

But after filling the bin bag up, she swung the bag over her shoulder 'like Santa' and got on her flight.

"When I got on everyone was clapping, it was hilarious, it was so funny," Natalie recalled.

"Everyone was just laughing. They were clapping as I walked on with this bag."

Advert

She claimed that onlookers applauded the hilarious move (Kennedy News and Media)
She claimed that onlookers applauded the hilarious move (Kennedy News and Media)

Ironically, the bag was so big that it meant she struggled to get down the aisle, as Natalie was determined not to give the staff member a penny 'after the way she spoke' to her.

The mum claimed that she flew to Palma de Mallorca on Ryanair with the same bags a week before, with no issues.

Adding that she didn't mind leaving the suitcase behind, which was a present from her parents, she said: "I'll definitely buy another suitcase however I will double check the sizes.

"I don't want to go through this again. I don't want to be wasting all my nice luggage."

Advert

That's one way to travel (Kennedy News and Media)
That's one way to travel (Kennedy News and Media)

While the suitcase cost significantly less (£45) than the charge she was touted for, Natalie admitted: "I was fuming. I just had to laugh it off, as much as I was annoyed, it's a suitcase, no one died."

"They [Ryanair staff] just kept looking but said nothing despite the bag being bigger than the case at that point," she added. "It is absolutely ridiculous but I'm glad I stood my ground."

In response to the incident, Ryanair claimed the worker involved was from a third party assigned to deal with baggage.

A spokesperson for the airline said: "Ryanair's bag policy is simple; if the bag fits in our bag sizer, which is bigger than our agreed dimensions, it gets on free of charge. If the bag doesn't fit within our sizer, it will get charged for.

"This passenger's bag exceeded the permitted dimensions, and they chose to repack their items in an alternative bag that would fit the sizer instead.

"There is a very simple solution to this, which is that passengers simply comply with their agreement at the time of booking and travel with bags that fit or are smaller than our agreed bag dimensions."

Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Topics: Ryanair, Travel

Joshua Nair
Joshua Nair

Joshua Nair is a journalist at LADbible. Born in Malaysia and raised in Dubai, he has always been interested in writing about a range of subjects, from sports to trending pop culture news. After graduating from Oxford Brookes University with a BA in Media, Journalism and Publishing, he got a job freelance writing for SPORTbible while working in marketing before landing a full-time role at LADbible. Unfortunately, he's unhealthily obsessed with Manchester United, which takes its toll on his mental and physical health. Daily.

X

@joshnair10

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

20 mins ago
19 hours ago
a day ago
  • 20 mins ago

    Travel experts reveal the secret to getting free first class upgrade with airlines

    While there's no guarantees, there are lots of things you can do to boost your chances of bagging an upgrade

    Lifestyle
  • 19 hours ago

    Brits could face huge fines in Spain as resorts introduce so-called 'sunbed tax'

    It comes as more and more sunbed stampedes filmed in Spanish resorts appear on social media

    Lifestyle
  • a day ago

    What happens if someone is believed to have been murdered on a cruise ship

    Crime is rare on cruise ships but many people have been left wondering what would happen if the worst were to happen

    Lifestyle
  • a day ago

    Ryanair passenger left sobbing after being stopped from boarding plane because of luggage

    The passenger claimed her bag was small enough but she was denied boarding

    Lifestyle
  • Ryanair passenger left sobbing after being stopped from boarding plane because of luggage
  • easyJet hack means you'll never get charged for carry-on luggage again
  • Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet passengers face 'losing hand luggage allowance' over new seat rule
  • Leaked email reveals how much airport staff get 'for catching passengers with oversized bags'