EasyJet has come under fire after it was revealed that airport ground staff are being given cash bonuses for catching passengers out with oversized hand luggage.
A leaked email confirmed that Swissport employees who operate passenger gates for EasyJet at several UK airports are being paid £1.20 (£1 after tax) for every bag deemed too large to bring onboard without an additional fee.
The controversial ‘EasyJet gate bag revenue incentive’, introduced in November 2023, is still in effect across airports in Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Jersey, Liverpool and Newcastle.
The internal email, seen by the Sunday Times and sent to Swissport staff, states that the scheme’s incentive is ‘intended to reward agents doing the right thing’ and states that the employees would be paid directly.
The message was signed by Dean Martin, a Swissport station manager at Glasgow Airport.
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Swissport is not the only company with this type of bonus scheme in place. DHL Supply Chain, which operates with EasyJet across Bristol, Manchester and Gatwick, also offers rewards for catching oversized baggage.
Airport staff carrying out baggage checks are hired by third-party handling companies, not directly by EasyJet and other airlines.
These providers differ by location and decisions around pay, structures and bonus schemes are made by these companies, without input or involvement from EasyJet.
EasyJet allows passengers to take a small bag (45 x 36 x 20cm) that fits under their seat for free, but larger cabin bags (56 x 45 x 25cm) must be paid for in advance, with fees starting from £5.99 and rising to nearly £33 depending on the route.
If passengers are caught with unpaid oversized bags at the gate, they face a charge of £48, with £1.20 of that going directly to airport staff.
Many passengers have complained about inconsistent enforcement from staff at airports, with some claiming they were forced to pay even though their bags fit the official size frames.
In frustration, some travellers have removed their suitcase wheels at the gate to make their bags fit, while others resort to stuffing extra items into duty-free carrier bags or even pillowcases to avoid extra charges.
Metro has contacted EasyJet and Swissport for comment.
The news comes as Ryanair prepares to increase its free hand luggage size allowance. The airline currently lets passengers carry a bag measuring 40 x 20 x 25cm for free, but plans to expand this to 40 x 30 x 20cm within weeks – a 20% volume boost.
The new EU minimum baggage standard is 30 x 30 x 15cm.
What are the different kinds of airline baggage?
There are generally three different types of luggage passengers can take on a flight.
Cabin bags must be stored in the overhead locker, usually weighing up to 10kg and no bigger than 56x45x25cm.
A checked bag is a larger bag that must be checked in at the desk when arriving at the airport. These are kept in the hold during the flight and usually have a maximum weight limit of 23kg.
A personal item, also known as a small bag, must be able to fit under the seat in front of you and is usually no bigger than 40x30x20cm.
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