Flybe ‘zero tolerance’ baggage policy made couple ‘feel like criminals’

The airline’s new stance is angering passengers

Flybe's new stance is upsetting passengers (Simon Calder)

Flybe’s new “zero tolerance” policy on oversize hand baggage left a couple feeling “like criminals”.

Dan Brabazon, 37, and his wife, 30, were boarding a flight from Manchester to Newquay on 19 January when they were singled out to measure their bags.

“How we were treated by the departure staff was awful,” Brabazon told The Independent. “I boarded the flight to my holiday physically shaken and with my wife in tears at the stress of the confrontation.”

He added: “They literally just picked out myself and my wife’s bags and when I looked around everyone’s bags were more or less the same size.”

When the pair pointed out that people around them in the queue had similar sized luggage, staff became angry, says Brabazon.

“The departure staff took extreme exception to this.

“I have no idea why they chose us, but the way we were spoken to was awful and we were made to feel like we were criminals.”

Brabazon says Flybe employees then threatened to throw them off the plane if they continued to protest.

“I pointed out that it was discriminatory to single out myself and my wife for our luggage alone,” he said. “I was well within my right to raise this, without threat of removal from the flight.”

A member of staff “laughed dismissively” according to Brabazon, telling him he had no right to call discrimination on the issue. She said they were understaffed and that it was not her job to check 78 bags.

After paying £50 for one oversize bag, there was no room in the overhead lockers for their luggage – the couple were forced to store them at their feet for the duration of the flight.

The Independent has seen correspondence between Brabazon and Flybe, in which the airline says it does not have any direct employees based at airports. Instead, the airports elect to contract the customer services to a third-party company so that “the service provided is consistent across all airlines”.

“We have been advised by our Head Office that this is strictly a non-refundable charge, where upon refusal, can result in removal from the flight, as this is a breach in the terms and conditions agreed upon by purchasing the ticket,” a customer service agent wrote.

The Brabazons aren’t the first to be burned by Flybe’s change in attitude.

The airline, which is in talks with a consortium of airlines led by Virgin Atlantic about a potential takeover bid, has had its current baggage policy in place since 2016.

But, starting from 17 January 2019, it said it was taking steps to ensure that all baggage is now fully compliant using a “zero tolerance policy”.

Its allowance compares favourably with other budget airlines – passengers are permitted two cabin bags, one measuring up to 55 x 35 x 20cm, the other a smaller bag that can fit under the seat in front. The combined weight of both items cannot exceed 10kg.

For comparison, easyJet allows passengers just one bag (although it is bigger at 56 x 45 x 25cm), while Ryanair and Wizz Air both only let passengers take one bag the size of a small rucksack onboard for free.

However, passengers may have been caught out by the fact that other airlines’ cabin bag measurements are more generous – Ryanair’s is 55 x 40 x 20cm for priority passengers – meaning bags that have been admissible with rival carriers don’t meet Flybe’s stricter criteria.

Allana O’Malley, flying from Knock to Amsterdam via Manchester, tweeted: “Extremely bad customer service @Irelandwest in Knock. Arbitrary enforcement of rules on cabin bag. Even though mine fit in frame, it was not allowed, despite coming over on your plane last week. No explanation. No satisfaction. Won’t be flying with you again!”

A Flybe spokesperson said staff are just enforcing the existing policy.

“We accept we have in the past been inconsistent in applying this policy, and following customer feedback have taken steps to ensure that all hand baggage is now fully compliant,” they said.

“This make it fair for everyone and also speeds up boarding.”

The Independent has contacted Flybe for a response to this incident.