Travellers heading abroad may finally see some relief from soaring hand luggage charges in the near future – a welcome change, especially for those flying with Ryanair, Wizz Air, and easyJet, who have faced the brunt of cabin bag frustrations.
According to new research from OddsMonkey, who are experts in side hustles, Ryanair has received the highest number of online complaints referencing carry-on luggage – with 787 Tripadvisor gripes specifically honing in on issues with overhead locker allowances, extra charges and bag policy confusion.
The study sifted through thousands of Tripadvisor reviews, filtering for low ratings (1 to 3 stars) and pairing “cabin bag” and “carry-on luggage” with key phrases such as “no space,” “scam,” “unclear policy,” and “pay more.”
The result? A ranking of the UK’s 20 most popular airlines, based on the Civil Aviation Authority’s 2025 passenger records, revealing which carriers face the most frequent criticism from travellers over cabin bag issues.
| Airline | Carry-On Luggage Complaints |
| Ryanair | 787 |
| United Airlines | 779 |
| American Airlines | 767 |
| Air Canada | 682 |
| easyJet | 620 |
| British Airways | 507 |
| Wizz Air | 468 |
| Delta Airlines | 436 |
| Emirates | 310 |
| Lufthansa | 291 |
| Air France | 287 |
| Vueling | 280 |
| Qatar Airways | 216 |
| Turkish Airlines | 197 |
| KLM | 190 |
| Aer Lingus | 175 |
| Tui Airways | 151 |
| Jet2.com | 75 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 52 |
| Sunexpress | 10 |
The data drop comes after the recent EU Parliament’s transport committee approved a new proposal (June 25) that could ban airlines from charging for small carry-on bags, provided they weigh under 7kg and fit within 100cm combined dimensions.
If passed, the new law would apply to all flights between the EU and the UK, as well as internal EU routes – meaning passengers flying Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet and others would legally be entitled to a free cabin bag in the overhead locker, alongside a small personal item under the seat.
The European Parliament says the move is intended to simplify rules across all airlines, which currently vary wildly and often catch out holidaymakers at the boarding gate.
But not everyone’s on board. Some airlines have warned that banning baggage fees could drive up base fares, especially for budget routes where optional extras make up a major chunk of revenue.
Still, for passengers already fed up with confusing policies and hefty hand luggage surcharges, the proposed rule feels like a long-overdue win.
A spokesperson from OddsMonkey said: “Airlines often advertise cheap tickets but sting customers with last-minute baggage fees. Our analysis shows how deeply frustrating this is for flyers – especially on low-cost carriers where luggage policies can feel like a minefield.”
The findings show that British travellers are especially vocal when they feel short-changed. Hundreds of mentions highlighted confusion over what’s included in a standard fare and multiple experiences were shared of passengers who have been left with no choice but to fork out extra money just to take their belongings aboard.
One frustrated Ryanair passenger recalled their ordeal: “I was threatened that I wouldn’t be allowed to board because my cabin bag was slightly larger than the allowed dimensions – a bag I’ve taken on many trips before without any issues. Instead of offering any reasonable solution, they forced me to pay €75 under pressure and threat of being left behind.”
A Wizz Air flyer slammed the airline in their account: “Scam airline. Don’t do it, you will not save money. Booked a ticket with a small item and carry-on and then at the airport they charged us €72 for the carry-on even though the ticket says ‘free carry-on.’ Ended up missing our flight because we had to go back to the ticket counter to pay for our carry-ons. After, we missed our flight and they refused to refund the extra fees.”
If the proposed EU law goes through, carriers will be forced to offer more transparency – and fewer nasty surprises when it comes to bags in the cabin.