Yes, agents at the airport are scrutinizing your suitcase closely, and it’s not just a matter of security or compliance with regulations. In fact, many of them get a bonus for spotting oversized luggage, and charging you extra.
It’s the fear of all travelers when boarding: seeing their suitcase tested in the metal template… and failed by a few centimeters too much. Because of course, all airlines set different limits for baggage dimensions, and no one is going to buy a new suitcase every plane ride! As a result, more and more passengers are having their bags refused in the cabin and forced to pay additional fees to put them in the hold.
Some will have already noticed: airport agents are particularly keen to spot luggage that seems a little too bulky. And it’s not just force of habit. Yes, with certain low-cost airlines, they receive a supplement each time they pin an oversized suitcase… and the traveler finds themselves paying fees which can sometimes even exceed the price of the plane ticket. This is the case of a company well known in Europe for its apparently advantageous prices.
The Irish company Ryanair is one of the cheapest on the market, but this often hides additional costs for choosing your seat on the plane, or for taking cabin baggage (only the small bags to be placed under the seat are free, you have to pay extra if you wish to board with a suitcase to place in the compartments above). And when the baggage exceeds the authorized measurements, the passenger must pay fees of up to 75 euros. Enough to arouse indignation, especially when we know that the company’s employees are paid to track down these “too big” suitcases.
Michael O’Leary confirmed this internal policy which is causing debate: in the columns of Timesat the beginning of May 2026, the boss of Ryanair indicated that his agents receive a direct financial bonus each time they spot an oversized baggage. Currently, the company pays 2.50 euros for each rejected suitcase (compared to 1.50 euros last year), but it is now considering increasing this bonus to 3.50 euros and even removing the ceiling of 80 euros per month per employee in force at the moment.
Enough to transform them into real bounty hunters: knowing that a ground handling agent supervises on average 4 to 6 flights per day (even 7 or 8 in large airports or during busy periods), with around 180 passengers per flight, he therefore sees more than 1,000 people pass through daily. At a rate of 3.50 euros per rejected suitcase and with no monthly ceiling, the bonus could quickly prove crucial in making ends meet… and therefore lead to excesses, to the great dismay of travelers.
Despite the controversy, the CEO of the company fully supports this policy which, according to him, aims to eliminate “fraudsters” which slow down boarding. And he is far from the only one. Its direct competitor EasyJet also offers a commission of around 1.40 euros to its agents (often subcontractors) for each suitcase rejected at the door, as revealed by an investigation by the Sunday Timeswho had access to an internal company document in 2025. And in the United States, the practice turns into a full-fledged business: a Senate investigation report singled out Frontier Airlines, where employees receive a record bonus of $10 per premium baggage. A policy that the CEO defended tooth and nail to the Reuters agency, calling travelers “shoplifters.”
But it doesn’t stop at suitcases or airlines. In public transport, agents also receive bonuses for each fine: this is the case at SNCF or even at RATP, where the system works on a percentage basis. Regardless of the means of transport, the hunt for violations is officially open, and it is up to the traveler to be extra vigilant so as not to see the vacation budget disappear even before departure.
