Low cost flights, the big hand luggage deal: in Europe you spent over 10 billion to bring them on board

Travelers spent over 10 billion euros in 2024 in order to bring a trolley to Europe on board low cost flights in addition to the backpack or a handbag. Not only is it the main source of revenues among the paid services by the companies, it is also one of the items with the highest profit margin in the sector. The number emerges for the first time from the estimates that the Courier He made by crossing the internal data of the main seven aviolinees « without frills », the configuration of the planes and budgets deposited. And he does not take into account the revenues recorded by payment to the boarding gate after being stuck in additional checks.

The extra service

For several years in the Old Continent, those who buy the basic rate of a low cost flight can only go on board with a small personal effect to be placed under the seat in front. To bring also a wealth of significant dimensions – a trolley or a bag – to be deposited in the hats, a further expense is requested under the name of « priorities and 2 luggage » (Ryanair) or « Priority » (Wizz Air). In recent times, and outside of peak periods, this item often weighs more than the basic rate, so it is not uncommon to note flights to 19.99 euros per treating for 34.99 further requested to embark with a trolley.

The weight of the « ancellar »

In 2024 according to Jay Sorensen, who for years has taken into account the phenomenon of so -called « ancellar » revenues, lAt the total expenditure of passengers worldwide it was 148 billion euros Of which 124 billion only between the choice of the place, trolley in the cabin, meals on board, luggage in the hold, etc. These are about 15% of the overall turnover of the aviolinee (which this year will break through the thousand billion euros according to the forecasts of the IATA). To browse the budgets of low cost over half of the passengers, buy additional services.

The cost of the trolley

The revenues of the individual extra items are among the secrets best guarded by the airlines. And that of hand luggage is constantly monitored because for some low cost it represents 85% of the total « ancellar ». It is no coincidence that as well as for the simple flight also the additional package that allows you to go up with the trolley is subject to dynamic tariffs, with the price that varies according to the route and the market: the connections from/for the United Kingdom, for example, are among the most expensive in Europe.

Ryanair’s record

Ryanair is the low cost that records the major revenues of the segment. This is thanks not only to the volumes of traffic – about 200 million passengers transported in 2024 – but also to a greater capacity of the cappelliere which went from the 118 Boeing 737 luggage with the « classic » configuration to the 178 of the Boeing 737 and 737 Max with the new one. In the 1.11 million flights made the Irish low cost made it up in the cabin around 166 million trolleys that brought them to the speakers 4 billion euros, according to the calculations of the Courier.

The other low cost

Another 3 billion euros of extra for hand luggage the passengers spent them with Easyjet flights, while it is almost a head to mind between Wizz Air and Vueling (IAG group, British Airways holding, Iberia) which in 2024 brought home respectively 1.2 and 1.1 billion euros each. That low cost are doing business with the trolley is also seen on the Eurowings accounts (Lufthansa group) with 670 million euros of « ancellari » and transavia (Air France-Klm group) with over 470 million, while Volotea has collected almost 210 million.

The actual cost

The analysis of internal data also shows how high profitability is. Usually the allowed hand luggage weighs between 8 and 10 kilograms. This contributes to weighing down the aircraft that must thus burn more kerosene. In short: those who embark with a trolley increase the company’s operating costs. But how much? Of approximately 1.3 euros, according to the calculations of the Courieron an intra-European medium trafficking (low cost do not fly on intercontinental routes). Also in those broken towards the holiday resorts where the extra is also sold for 75 euros.

Maxi-utili

So, to give an example, for a flight that transports 120 hand luggage the company spends 156 euros more than kerosene (there are no handling costs because unlike the one in the hold, the suitcase in the cabin is brought by the same passenger). But considering 25 euros of request for the extra -traveler extra, this would bring 3 thousand euros into the coffers of the carrier, with a profit of 2,844 euros. Multiply by hundreds of flights per day and here you get to the spectacular result hidden in the financial statements.