An easyJet passenger shared her experience of challenging the airline’s fine for an oversized bag. Louise Machin was surprised when easyJet charged her €58 (£51) upon returning from Chania Airport in Crete, claiming her suitcase exceeded the size limit, despite her prior careful measurements.
After contacting the bag manufacturer to prove compliance with easyJet’s regulations, Machin received a refund. However, she is not the only traveler facing unjust oversize cabin bag fines due to issues with airport bag sizers, according to consumer group Which?
Machin, a 59-year-old from Crystal Palace, encountered the problem on a trip to Crete in April. Despite checking her bag’s size before departure, she was confronted by ground staff during the return journey. Despite her efforts to prove compliance, she was coerced into paying the fine to board the flight.
Following validation from the bag manufacturer, Cabin Max, easyJet reimbursed Machin. Which? highlighted instances where bag sizers inaccurately rejected properly sized luggage, leading to penalties for passengers. The advice from Which? is to appeal if wrongly charged and confident in the bag’s size.
Despite no identified faults with the sizers at Chania Airport, easyJet refunded Machin and assured standardized sizer dimensions across all airports. The airline apologizes for any inconvenience and reviews customer feedback on a case-by-case basis.