A mum has accused Ryanair of unfairly targeting her for an oversized suitcase fee, while allowing ‘young and good looking’ passengers to pass through without charge. Maxine Haughian, 63, was flying to Alicante, Spain, last month when she was stopped in the queue to have her cabin bag measured. Despite paying £25 for priority boarding, she claims her bag, which fit inside the guidance rack but stuck out by 2cm on the side, was deemed too big by Ryanair staff who asked her to pay £75 to place it in the hold.
Maxine noticed other passengers with similar-sized suitcases being allowed through without charge, including a ‘young and attractive’ woman whose bag also exceeded the guidelines but was let on board without a fee. Feeling singled out, Maxine took to social media to express her frustration, posting a photo of the woman whose bag was accepted. She eventually boarded the plane without paying after showing staff the photographic evidence.
Reflecting on the incident, Maxine admitted she couldn’t find any reason for the apparent discrimination other than her age and appearance. She questioned Ryanair’s inconsistent enforcement of their rules and called it a money-making exercise. Despite measuring her bag to be only slightly wider than what Ryanair stated online, she was initially asked to pay the fee, which she found unfair.
Ryanair declined to comment on the issue raised by Maxine. In response to the incident, she highlighted the need for airlines to apply rules consistently and equally to all passengers. Maxine’s experience sheds light on the challenges travellers face with airlines’ policies and the importance of fair treatment for all passengers, regardless of their age or looks.