Finnair introduces Ryanair hand luggage system

Airbus A321 (Photo: Jan Gruber).
Airbus A321 (Photo: Jan Gruber).

Finnair introduces Ryanair hand luggage system

Airbus A321 (Photo: Jan Gruber).
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With the Oneworld member Finnair, a classic network carrier is now also reducing the size of the hand luggage included in economy class. For several years now, Ryanair, Wizz Air and Condor have only allowed one “small bag” to be taken along. In the meantime, Eurowings and other providers have also followed suit.

At least in Europe, hand luggage allowances, which are significantly smaller than the IATA standard format, were more a matter for holiday and low-cost airlines. This "trend" was first introduced by the low-cost airline Ryanair. The competitor Wizz Air quickly followed suit, Condor followed and, with a time lag, the concept was also copied by Eurowings and other providers. At the time, the Lufthansa subsidiary claimed in a broadcast that the introduction of the new rules would happen at “customer request”. For the airlines, monetization is in the foreground, because in order to be able to take an additional piece of hand luggage in the IATA standard format, either a higher value and therefore more expensive tariff must be booked or so-called “priority packages” must be purchased for a fee. These can sometimes be very expensive, because due to flexible pricing, 50 euros and more can also be demanded.

Traditional network carriers have so far refrained from copying the "Ryanair hand luggage concept", at least for their main brands. For example, the Lufthansa Group has already introduced this at its subsidiary Eurowings, which is definitely an indication that experience is being gained at the low-cost and holiday flight subsidiary and then evaluated whether the rules are also being introduced at the network carriers.

Finnair has gone one step further and is now offering a so-called "Superlight fare". In the future, this will be the cheapest booking class in Europe and only includes taking a small bag with you, which must definitely fit under the front seat. If you want to have a hand luggage trolley with you, you have to buy at least the now more expensive Light tariff. Alternatively, you can pay later. You can twist and turn it as you like: it will definitely be more expensive.

But business class travelers also have to adapt to changes, because Finnair is reducing the free baggage allowance and will in future ask you to pay extra for services that were previously included, such as taking winter sports equipment and golf bags with you. In Economy Class, the seat can no longer be chosen freely at check-in, but is assigned automatically. If you are not satisfied, you can only change it for a fee. Alternatively, the desired seat can be reserved beforehand for a fee. On long-haul flights, including to New York and Dubai, the Eco also saves on the second catering service.

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