A Ryanair passenger has issued a warning about the airline's strict baggage policies after witnessing dozens of travellers being forced to cough up £46 before boarding a flight.

Emily Chaplin saw passengers unexpectedly hit with additional fees for non-compliant luggage while boarding a Ryanair flight to Tenerife on May 6.

After passing through security at Birmingham Airport, Emily spotted a separate queue that required passengers to measure their carry-on luggage.

She said: 'A woman at the front was desperately trying to cram her stuffed-to-the-brim backpack into the top section of the crate. My heart sank.'

It was at this moment Emily was required to place her bag into the 40x20x25cm measuring box, but despite it 'bursting at the seams,' she was waved on through.

A Ryanair passenger has issued a warning about the airline's strict baggage policies after witnessing dozens of travellers being forced to cough up £46 before boarding (stock image)

Emily Chaplin recounted her fellow passengers' experience as they were unexpectedly hit with additional fees for non-compliant luggage while boarding a Ryanair flight to Tenerife (stock image)

The reporter wrote in BirminghamLive: 'I knew Ryanair had stingy luggage limits - I'd bought an exactly-the-right-size backpack from Amazon to avoid paying extra to upgrade and spent ages rolling up all of my clothes to squeeze in five days worth. 

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'I've travelled with Ryanair plenty of times before but I'd never seen the rule so vehemently enforced.'

Although Emily successfully evaded the £46 one-way baggage fee, a number of passengers were not as lucky.

One woman found her stuffed backpack exceeding the airline's strict dimensions.

She was then was promptly informed by Ryanair staff that she'd need to shell out £46 to bring it on board. 

The scenario, according to Emily, was repeated for twelve other passengers who found themselves in violation of the size restrictions and were forced to pay. 

In a moment of desperation, one passenger resorted to pulling items from her bulging backpack, redistributing the weight to avoid the fee. 

Fortunately, she managed to evade the extra charge, but others weren't as fortunate - such as a group of women wearing 'Girls' Trip - Tenerife 2024' t-shirts who tried to dispute the charge.

It costs as little as £6 to upgrade to Priority Boarding and bring a larger cabin bag, but for those who fail to comply, they could face hefty charges at the gate, ranging up to £46

Pictured: New tiny bag size allowed on Ryanair planes for free - measuring 40-20-25 cm - at Stansted Airport in November 2023 

Chaplin's experience serves as a warning to travellers, suggesting that Ryanair may be intensifying enforcement of their luggage policies (stock image)

Emily overheard how the group had added the bags to their booking for the return flight, but not the outgoing one, yet were still required to shell out the funds.

While it may cost as little as £6 to upgrade to Priority Boarding and bring a larger cabin bag, those who fail to comply could face hefty charges at the gate, ranging up to £46.

It comes after a pair of German tourists travelling around Europe have revealed a creative way to wriggle out of Ryanair's often expensive luggage charges - and enjoy a comfy flight in the process.

TikTokers Madeleine and Sophia, who post as @roadbunnies and describe themselves as 'Just 2 girls, doing roadtrips with a red Skoda Fabia', shared a clip on the social media site of them using a pillowcase as a makeshift suitcase.