Hey, so tomorrow I have a flight with Wizzair. My most comfortable backpack I have is this one [https://www.burton.com/us/en/p/burton-tinder-20-30l-backpack/S21-213451.html](https://www.burton.com/us/en/p/burton-tinder-20-30l-backpack/S21-213451.html). It has about 52x31x16, but the store site states that it has 47cm x 31cm x 16cm. I could try to find another smaller backpack, but the truth is this one has a lot of volume and I want to carry my clothes only in this backpack. Last time when I was flying with Ryanair I had to pay a lot bc I wasnt aware that I wasnt allowed to bring on board a trolley baggage – if Wizzair decides that my backpack doesnt fit their criteria how much will I have to pay? Is this strict in Germany? Should I plan to bring with me another backpack or just risk it? What are your experiences? Or maybe pay additional baggage now? Please help me, I dont know what to do

9 comments

  1. This is about company policy, not German law.

    This is one technique budget airlines use to make their money while appearing to offer bargain prices: they have all kinds of hidden extras that most passengers can’t avoid.

    I have to say, though:

    > when I was flying with Ryanair I had to pay a lot bc I wasnt aware that I wasnt allowed to bring on board a trolley baggage

    Don’t you read the terms and conditions? Seriously, that one’s on you.

    > if Wizzair decides that my backpack doesnt fit their criteria how much will I have to pay?

    That information will surely be on Wizzair’s website, or in the information they gave you when you booked. Again: it is Wizzair’s business how much they charge. As long as they’re not scamming you — and they will be very careful to operate within the law — they can charge as much as they like.

  3. As a general rule of thumb (in my experience): the cheaper the airline, the stricter the rules for luggage.

    Ryanair and easyjet are notouriously strict and if your stuff doesn’t fit into the little metal cages they have on display they charge you for the luggage the full price plus often some kind of service fee or late fee or whatever.

    Other airlines, often the main airlines of a country such as the Dutch KLM or Finnish Finnair or German Lufthansa are much more relaxed and charge nothing or just a little extra.

  4. If it’s only 5cm too long see if you can cinch it down with a couple of straps before the point where they check the dimensions (check-in or boarding).

    If you can compress it that little bit, it doesn’t matter that it’s normally a little longer.

  5. Last time I ws traveling with wizzair they were very strict. I usually travel with a bike bag and a small carry on luggage. They were weighing both and I had to rearrange some stuff and throw away some stuff to make room.

  6. I hardly doubt there will be any problem if you can squish it a bir. Saying that, they are entitled to charge you extra if it doesn’t fit and the desk agent is on a bad day

  8. I don’t understand the problem. It’s a backpack, it is not rigid.

    Just don’t pack it to the max, leave some empty space and maybe tie it up with a strap or Schnur or such. If you can squeeze it to the correct size, you will be fine.

  9. I didn’t personally fly with WizzAir yet but I’ve been on many EasyJet and some Ryanair flights.
    Usually, as long as your hand luggage fits under the seat in front of you, they didn’t care. And normal backpacks usually do.

    The things they would usually check would be those handluggage suitcases, because they have to go in the overhead lockers or whatever those are called. Also, they’d be more likely to make you check in your bag, if you arrived late and all of the overhead things were already full.

    Either way, a soft backpack should usually be able to be squished a bit so don’t pack it as full and you should still be able to squish it to size.
    Or, add a strap if you’re really worried about the size.

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