Warning over popular holiday bags on Ryanair, easyJet and BA

Virgin Radio

16 Aug 2022, 13:37

If you're heading off on your travels soon, don't let your bag ruin the trip.

Plenty of people have shared hacks for avoiding luggage charges including packing pillows and one type of travel bag.

There's one particular case that is causing a headache for holiday makers though.

Journalist and author Pandora Sykes got caught out, and Tweeted saying she wasn't allowed to board her easyJet flight because of her bag.

Many of us triple check the size of our luggage now thanks to ever shrinking allowances, but it was Pandora's tech case that caused the issue.

Pandora tweeted saying: "Beware anyone being so foolish to fly easyjet - captain just refused to let us board our flights because our checked-in suitcases have USB ports (aka “smart bags”).

"EasyJet quietly changed their Ts&Cs a few weeks ago without telling their customers."

Who knew bags even came with USB ports? Apparently so, and there's a requirement for the battery to be removed.

One Twitter user replied: "Did you remove the battery? There’s a list of things you’re not allowed to keep in your hold luggage and we tick the box to confirm we do not have these items so I guess the pilot was acting from a point of safety."

Pandora said: "No we didn’t realise they had changed their conditions (we’ve flown lots with these bags before).

"It just would have been decent to have a reminder at check in on the screen, or even get called before we get to the gate so we can remove it and still catch our flight!"

The terms and conditions state that for safety reasons a lithium battery or power banks need to be disconnected before flying.

If you are unable to disconnect the battery, you cannot take the bag in board.

British Airways is similar policy, but says if you are able to remove the battery from your smart bag if the lithium battery is more than 160Wh or you do not know the Wh of the battery it will not be allowed on the flight.

Have you been caught out by this?