Ryanair and easyJet have built their reputations on budget-friendly airfares — particularly for those savvy enough to book well ahead of time. Yet if there is one thing neither airline is renowned for, it is a generous complimentary hand luggage allowance.
Despite Ryanair increasing its luggage allowance towards the end of last year, passengers are still left with a rather modest free bag size to work with. As seasoned travellers know only too well, even a slightly oversized bag could result in an unwelcome last-minute fee at the airport — hardly the ideal start to a getaway.
The simplest way to sidestep that dreaded check-in desk scenario? Ensure your bag meets the size requirements before you even step out of the front door. Fortunately, we have tracked down one that complies with the luggage restrictions for both airlines, and it is currently 40% off as part of Amazon Prime Day.
Ryanair's luggage allowance was revised from 40 x 20 x 25cm to 40 x 30 x 20cm last year. While this may sound like a welcome improvement on paper, the reality is somewhat less impressive.
You lose 10cm in length one way, but gain an extra 5cm the other — meaning there is not a great deal of additional space to play with in practical terms. Naturally, passengers can bring larger luggage by purchasing Priority boarding, though this comes at an added cost to their trip.
easyJet is somewhat more lenient with its policy. Its complimentary hand luggage allowance permits a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20cm (including handles and wheels), with the bag required to fit beneath the seat in front.
It may weigh up to 15kg, provided you are able to lift it unaided. Exceeding these dimensions could result in a charge of up to £48.
That's where the expandable Hayayu bag from Amazon comes in.
Ordinarily retailing at £23.99, the bag has been slashed by more than half in certain colours during the sale. At the time of writing, the most attractive deals are on the grey and cream versions.
The grey bag, normally £23.99, is now just £14.39 — a saving of 40%. The grey version is the most affordable, though other colours are available and are discounted. For example, the cream colour is down by 37% to £15.12, and the light blue, baby pink and teal are all reduced to £16.64.
Measuring 40 x 28 x 20cm, the bag is perfectly sized to comply with Ryanair's updated luggage restrictions. It also benefits from an expandable section, allowing it to extend to meet easyJet's slightly more generous dimensions of 45 x 20 x 36cm.
Rather than simply taking the measurements at face value, we were keen to see how the bag fared in practice. Given that Ryanair operates the strictest regulations, we called upon Dublin-based reporter Fran to put the bag through its paces on one of their flights.
Fran's comprehensive review is available to read in full here. She's experimented with numerous bags over the years while regularly travelling between her residence and London with Ryanair, and she maintains the Hayayu holdall is her top choice to date, owing to its adaptability.
The key feature, she explained, is the expandable compartment. "I imagine this will come in extremely handy on an upcoming holiday," she said.
According to existing customer feedback, the bag presently maintains a rating of 4.6 out of five stars on Amazon.
One of the initial aspects Fran appreciated was its fashionable design. It's available in a selection of colours - green, grey, white, blue, black and pink.
Fran selected the pale pink variant, though looking back, she acknowledges that the black might be the most sensible choice for maintaining its pristine appearance while travelling.
The second aspect that captured her interest was precisely how capacious it appeared. "When the bag arrived, I measured it because it looked much larger than the bags I had previously tested," she said.
Fran's comprehensive review is available to read in full here. She's experimented with numerous bags over the years while regularly travelling between her residence and London with Ryanair, and she maintains the Hayayu holdall is her top choice to date, owing to its adaptability.
The key feature, she explained, is the expandable compartment. "I imagine this will come in extremely handy on an upcoming holiday," she said.
According to existing customer feedback, the bag presently maintains a rating of 4.6 out of five stars on Amazon.
One of the initial aspects Fran appreciated was its fashionable design. It's available in a selection of colours - green, grey, white, blue, black and pink.
Fran selected the pale pink variant, though looking back, she acknowledges the black might be the most sensible choice for maintaining its pristine appearance while travelling.
The second aspect that captured her interest was precisely how capacious it appeared. "When the bag arrived, I measured it because it looked much larger than the bags I had previously tested," she said.
"I was concerned that it might be too big, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it met Ryanair's requirements."
Despite conforming to the airline's compact dimensions, Fran maintains the holdall is remarkably spacious. Her objective was to pack everything she required for an overnight work excursion.
"Of course, I needed my laptop, which at 15.6" has caused me trouble with carry-on bags before, as they all seem to be designed for a 13.3" machine," she said. Notably, out of all the bags Fran put to the test, this was the sole option that could also accommodate her slightly larger laptop with ease.
As is frequently the case with Amazon deals, however, the discount is subject to change - or may vanish entirely - so those who are tempted would be wise to act sooner rather than later.
