Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary says he's 'happy to incentivise' staff to crack down on oversized luggage
The airline currently pays staff around €1.50 (£1.30) for intercepting customers who are bringing bags on to the aircraft.
It is reported that the bonus is capped at about €80 (£70) for each staff member per month.
Passengers are charged a fee of up to €75 (£65) for bringing luggage that is larger than they paid for while booking their journey.
Ryanair currently includes a small carry-on bag - capped at a size of 40x20x25cm and weight of 10kg - with every ticket.
Passengers must pay a fee if they want to bring larger luggage, or if they want to bring multiple bags.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said on Monday that summer fares would, on average, be the same rate as 2023 - but added that he expects a boost in profitability for the airline by 'controlling costs'.
Members of the European Parliament are pushing for airlines to allow passengers to be allowed to bring on free an on-board personal item and small hand luggage.
However, Mr O'Leary predicted the proposal will not come into law due to a lack of space.
Speaking to the business news on RTE's Morning Ireland, he said: 'We're flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one - because that's all that fits in the plane.
'We're already struggling with that amount of baggage.
'That's one of the reasons we are so aggressive about eliminating the scourge of passengers with excess baggage.'
Mr O'Leary said more than 99.9 per cent of passengers comply with baggage rules, with 'sizers' located within the airport.
He said: 'We are happy to incentivise our (staff) with a share of those excess baggage fees, which we think will decline over the coming year or two.'
The chief executive added: 'It is about €1.50 per bag - and we're thinking of increasing it, so we eliminate it.'
Meanwhile, Mr O'Leary predicted that US President Donald Trump will 'chicken out' of introducing increased tariffs for Europe on August 1.
Ryanair currently includes a small carry-on bag - capped at a size of 40x20x25cm and weight of 10kg - with every ticket
Asked if he anticipated tariffs applying to Boeing aircraft being delivered to the airline, he said: 'Trump will probably chicken out again, I suspect the August 1 will get moved to September or October.
'We have taken delivery of five aircraft in the first quarter but no tariffs applied to those aircraft
'There is a risk of tariffs being introduced by the Europeans or the Americans in some tit-for-tat in August, September or October - but Boeing will have to pay those tariffs.'
Mr O'Leary said Ryanair would work with Boeing to ensure no tariffs are applied to commercial aircraft, which he said would be bad for the manufacturer's exports to Europe as well as Airbus's sales to the US - as well as the Irish aircraft leasing industry.
He added: 'There's increasing optimism, though, in Washington that commercial aircraft will be exempt from any tariffs - if Trump ever gets around to actually imposing tariffs.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Why that super-sized shampoo bottle isn't so super-sized after all: We've all long suspected that we're being hoodwinked - so are ANY actually filled to the top? SARAH RAINEY investigates...
Have you ever opened a new bottle of shampoo, jar of face cream or tube of suncream only to find it's far from full to the top? You're not alone; tens of thousands of unhappy shoppers have taken to online forums to vent their frustrations about part-empty containers in the beauty world. Toiletries are among the worst offenders, with super-sized packaging often giving customers a misleading impression of just how much they're getting for their money. Some leading brands use opaque bottles or labels, so you can't see what's inside, while others have double-walled sides, large lids or false bases that can make quantities appear bigger than they are. So why do manufacturers put their products in such big containers? And why don't they fill them to the top? 'They use bigger containers so it looks like you're getting more for your money,' says Ariane Young, a celebrity and media make-up artist. 'Ingredients, labour and marketing are more expensive but customers are less willing to shell out on new products every month, so brands are finding ways to cut corners.' There may be a practical reason in some cases. Kyle Frank, a beauty expert, cosmetics formulator and founder of Frank's Remedies, explains that some products need extra 'breathing space' so that the bottles and tubes reach customers intact. 'Product packaging can expand due to temperature changes and rocky movement during transit,' he says. 'Depending on the formulation of the product, this may cause more air to be produced. This is known as thermal expansion.' Such expansion could cause leakage, or make containers burst open, so leaving a little space at the top of the bottle or jar ensures it reaches customers in one piece. So how much product is there in your everyday toiletries and are you being fooled by the size or shape of the packaging it's sold in? We conducted an experiment, comparing the amount of liquid, gel or cream in beauty products (stated on the packaging) against the total volume of the container (in millilitres). We did this by squeezing the product into a glass measuring beaker and filling the empty container with water to see how much it could hold when full. The results will make you think twice on your next visit to the beauty aisle. Unilever and Procter & Gamble, makers of the products we tested, were approached for comment. Garnier Vitamin C Nutri-Glow Body Cream, (£10) Jar holds: 530ml Actually contains: 380ml Difference: 150ml Percentage full: 72 per cent This jar of deliciously-scented body cream looks like a very generous size - enough to last several months. But when I unscrew the lid I'm disappointed to see it's only three-quarters full; the rest is empty space. There's a whopping 150ml difference between the amount of product inside and the total volume capacity of the jar. Simple Gentle Cleansing Shampoo (£3.25) Bottle holds: 460ml Actually contains: 400ml Difference: 60ml Percentage full: 87 per cent This large white bottle stands out as one of the bigger ones on the shelves, but all is not as it seems. Our experiment shows there would be room inside for another 60ml of product, nearly a fifth more liquid than what is in the bottle. CeraVe Foaming Face Cleanser (£12.50) Bottle holds: 285ml Actually contains: 236ml Difference: 49ml Percentage full: 83 per cent There's a large pump inside this bottle of face cleanser, so less room for liquid than you'd expect. But even accounting for that, there's capacity for another 49ml of product - that's 21 per cent more than you actually get. Garnier Ambre Solaire Soothing After Sun (£6.99) Bottle holds: 410ml Actually contains: 400ml Difference: 10ml Percentage full: 98 per cent This bottle feels pleasingly heavy and, looking inside the cap, I can see the white after sun lotion filled very close to the top. For a large, family-sized bottle, there's impressively little empty space inside - just 10ml. Dove Moisturising Hand Wash (£1.49) Bottle holds: 300ml Actually contains: 250ml Difference: 50ml Percentage full: 83 per cent The hand pump fills up a whopping sixth of this bottle. But when I tip it out and fill it to the top with water I find there is enough missing for 10 to 15 more hand washes. Nivea Sun Protect Suncream Factor 30 (£6.79) Bottle holds: 205ml Actually contains: 200ml Difference: 5ml Percentage full: 98 per cent At this time of year, we go through bottles of suncream weekly - so it's important to know what you're getting (and how long it will last) when you stock up. Impressively, this 200ml bottle is almost full to the top; there's space for just 5ml more liquid inside. Sanex Expert Soothing Bath Soak (£3) Bottle holds: 505ml Actually contains: 450ml Difference: 55ml Percentage full: 89 per cent This big bottle of bath soak feels weighty, so I'm hopeful about the amount of product inside. When I open the cap, it looks like it's almost filled to the brim - but looks can be deceiving. When decanted from the container, you could still fit another 55ml liquid in there. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Intensive Body Lotion (£3.25) Bottle holds: 275ml Actually contains: 275ml Difference: 0ml Percentage full: 100 per cent This thick, luxurious lotion is incredibly hard to get out, and I resort to hitting it on the end like a ketchup bottle. It would be much more user-friendly in a jar. But rest assured; the results show the quantity of product inside fills the bottle right the way to the top. Dove Body Love Self-Tan Lotion (£3.99) Bottle holds: 450ml Actually contains: 400ml Difference: 50ml Percentage full: 89 per cent This gradual fake tan lotion comes in a tall, sleek bottle, but the beige packaging makes it impossible to see how much is inside. Our experiment showed there's room for another 50ml - or one sixth of the total liquid already in the bottle - in there. Oral B 3D White Luxe Mouthwash (£1.99) Bottle holds: 540ml Actually contains: 500ml Difference: 40ml Percentage full: 93 per cent When I take the cap off and look inside, this bottle of mouthwash looks remarkably full. But the results show there's room for 40ml more liquid (mostly inside the narrow neck) if it were completely full. Nivea 2 in 1 Cleansing Milk and Refreshing Toner (£4.60) Bottle holds: 198ml Contains: 175ml Difference: 23ml Percentage full: 88 per cent Though it's a small bottle, this feels light in my hands, and the product doesn't feel like it's filling the container. So I'm not surprised to find you could fit 23ml more (or 13 per cent of the quantity of liquid listed on the bottle) inside. Nivea Men Energy Shower Gel (£1.70) Bottle holds: 424ml Actually contains: 400ml Difference: 24ml Percentage full: 94 per cent It's not only women's products that come in part-full packaging, men's toiletry brands are just as guilty of giving customers less than they bargained for. This luminous blue shower gel comes in a bottle that could hold 24ml more than it does. Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shampoo (£1.95) Bottle holds: 455ml Actually contains: 400ml Difference: 55ml Percentage full: 88 per cent This is the tallest, thinnest bottle in the test and, though the packaging is bright green, when I hold it up to the light I can just about see the product inside. There's a clear inch without any liquid in it, and the results show this is equivalent to 55ml shampoo. Head & Shoulders Classic Clean 2 in 1 Shampoo (£2.49) Bottle holds: 268ml Actually contains: 250ml Difference: 18ml Percentage full: 93 per cent There isn't a huge difference between the amount this Head & Shoulders bottle could hold (268ml) and the amount of product that's actually inside (250ml). The spout is quite wide, with a flat cap so it's easy to get almost every bit of shampoo out. Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner XL (£5.89) Bottle holds: 580ml Actually contains: 470ml Difference: 110ml Percentage full: 81 per cent Promising to turn 'parched locks to fabulously refreshed' ones, this bottle is deceptive because it's nowhere near full. Our experiment shows that there is enough room for 110ml more conditioner in here. As the product is thick, it's tricky to get it all out so customers will get even less value for money. Palmolive Naturals Coconut Milk Shower Cream (£1.62) Bottle holds: 542ml Actually contains: 500ml Difference: 42ml Percentage full: 92 per cent This super-sized bottle of shower cream looks ideal for a family, but there's less product inside than you would expect. My experiment showed you could fit another 42ml of liquid in there if it was full - enough for 8-10 more showers. Baylis and Harding Goodness Natural Body Wash (£4) Bottle holds: 542ml Actually contains: 500ml Difference: 42ml Percentage full: 92 per cent While lots of body wash products come in clear containers, this one is in an opaque black bottle. At 500ml, it's one of the bigger sizes around and certainly one I'd buy to last the family several weeks. But it's not as full as it appears, there's space for another 42ml. Lynx Africa Body, Face and Hair Wash (£1.49) Bottle holds: 230ml Actually contains: 225ml Difference: 5ml Percentage full: 98 per cent In its distinctive black container, with an opaque red and green label, this body, face and hair wash contains 225ml of product. When full to the top, the bottle - which is squat and wide, with a narrow bit in the middle - could squeeze just 5ml more inside. Bulldog Original Shave Gel (£3.75) Tube holds: 190ml Actually contains: 175ml Difference: 15ml Percentage full: 92 per cent This clear shave gel comes in a squeezy tube, which is white so you can't see how much is inside. There's just 15ml difference between the amount of liquid that could fit inside the tube and what's in there when I buy it - not too bad. Vaseline Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails Hand Cream (£2.85) Bottle holds: 209ml Actually contains: 200ml Difference: 9ml Percentage full: 96 per cent This little bottle of hand cream doesn't have much surplus space inside; you could squeeze just 9ml more inside. It might seem more expensive per millilitre than a big bottle but you're getting more for your money and less empty space.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Reform's bacon and egg offensive to woo business
Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice is conducting a 'bacon and eggs' charm offensive to woo British businesses ahead of the next election. Tice told The Mail on Sunday that he and other senior party figures, including leader Nigel Farage, had been meeting 'dozens and dozens and dozens' of bosses for breakfast meetings. He said they included chief executives, finance chiefs, chairmen and top lobbyists at FTSE 100 and FTSE 250-listed firms, as well as those at private and foreign-owned companies. It echoes the 'smoked salmon and scrambled eggs' charm offensive by Labour ahead of the last General Election. Tice, pictured with Farage, said the 'penny dropped' for many firms about Reform's potential to form the next government after its landslide success in May's local elections and taking a 14-point lead in the latest national opinion poll. And he dismissed concerns raised by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) about whether Reform's sums added up, dismissing the respected economic think-tank as 'the institute for feeble studies'. Tice said: 'Lots of companies recognise we are a serious contender to be the next government, whenever the election is. They are taking it seriously, so want to meet me and understand where we're coming from on a variety of big issues. 'Whether you want to call it the bacon and eggs offensive or whatever, a series of breakfasts and other meetings are going on, and it is going well, and we're doing quite a lot of it.' A well-placed City source who alerted The Mail on Sunday to the meetings suggested there was some scepticism among business leaders about Reform's plans. Firms contacted by this newspaper were tight-lipped over whether they had met Tice. One FTSE 100 director, who asked not to be named, said he had 'not seen him' as part of the drive, but had once bumped into the politician and 'couldn't find anything we could agree on'. However, Tice said the reaction had been positive, particularly relating to plans to scrap the net zero carbon climate goal. 'We understand the language of business,' he said. 'I was chief executive of a billion-pound multinational listed company. Nigel's a businessman. We understand what it takes to save the British economy. 'We are talking about our dead seriousness about scrapping net zero and that is greeted with almost universal joy on a private basis. Privately, they all admit it's bonkers, it's costing them a fortune, it's making them uncompetitive.' Tice said Reform had told oil and gas companies to prepare applications for drilling licences in the North Sea 'so they can be checked and pre-approved before an election and rubber-stamped within a matter of days' if Reform were to win. He added: 'We're not mucking about. We're very clear that things like net zero, ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) – it's all for the birds. It all goes and we will be pretty aggressive on that and anyone who tries to get in our way.' The IFS's analysis of Reform's tax-cutting plans found that raising an individual's annual tax threshold from £12,570 to £20,000 and other measures could cost up to £80 billion a year, and that the party's strategy involved large, unspecified cuts to public services. And Simon French, chief economist at investment bank Panmure Liberum, has warned that Britain could face an 'immediate and violent' sterling crisis if Farage wins power. But Tice dismissed these, calling the IFS estimate a 'back-of-the-fag-packet guess' saying: 'We expect the enemy to do that.' Asked whether business leaders were convinced by Reform's plans, Tice said: 'They get it.' He added that he and Farage were 'probably two of the most successful financial, economic, businesslike MPs they've ever met'.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Amazon will have as many robots as humans working in UK warehouses within just three years
AMAZON will have as many robots working in UK warehouses as humans within three years, an expert warns. It could mean huge job losses at the delivery giant, which already has a million bots operating worldwide. 3 3 The firm is on the cusp of having more machines than people in the US, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dr Amir Aly, from the Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems at the University of Plymouth, claims Amazon's planned £40billion UK investment by 2028 means a mass robot rollout. He said: 'The scale of investment indicates there will be a 1:1 ratio of humans to robots in the UK in the next one to three years. "It's the money and technology advances that talk in the end.' He argued the size of the cash injection and the Government's enthusiasm hints at an agreement to provide a 'friendly regulatory environment'. Dr Sethu Vijayakumar, Professor of Robotics at the University of Edinburgh, agreed jobs would be lost in the 'temporary friction' robotics revolution. He added: 'There will never be as many jobs once warehouses are automated.' Amazon denies this, pointing to increased hiring over the past decade to about 70,000 people in the UK — up from 7,800. Xavier Van Chau, from Amazon's robotics team, said rather than replacing workers, the company has trained 700,000 robot operators. He insisted that the business aims to relieve workers of menial tasks, 'adding value, not replacing humans'. 3
