EasyJet has ended a guarantee to passengers that they will be able to keep their hand luggage with them throughout the flight.
Until recently, the airline assured that travellers with cabin bags measuring 56cm x 45cm x 25cm or less would be able to keep their luggage with them.
Under the new policy, standard easyJet passengers are allowed to bring one item of hand luggage of the same size but this may be placed in the hold on busy flights.
However, passengers who pay extra for their seats are allowed to bring another cabin bag measuring up to 45cm x 36cm x 20cm.
Standard passengers carrying hand luggage larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm face a charge of £30 at the bag drop to place it in the hold, or £45 at the gate.
The change came ahead of British Airways reducing the allowance for hand luggage on its flights, decreasing the size of second carry-on bags to 40cm x 30cm x 15cm from August 18. The size of the main piece of hand luggage will remain the same at 56x45x25cm.
Ryanair allows all passengers to bring one standard piece of cabin baggage measuring up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, as well as one smaller handbag or laptop case.
As with most airlines, the Irish carrier does still place some passengers’ carry-on bags in the hold on busy flights.
Iata issued guidelines in June for a standard piece of hand luggage, saying that a standardised system would bring common sense and order to the problem of differing sizes.
An easyJet spokesman told the Times: “From March 19, our guaranteed bag policy was replaced with a policy which allows easyJet Plus customers and customers with upfront seats to take a second bag, such as a handbag or laptop bag, into the cabin on flights.
“All passengers can still bring a bag the same size as before but it is not guaranteed to travel in the cabin on busier flights.”