easyJet Won't Enlarge Its Free Hand Luggage: What Does the New EU Law Change?

For now nothing changes: on easyJet the free hand luggage is still up to 45×36×20 cm, the kind that fits under the seat, and the large trolley costs extra. The new EU passenger rights law only takes effect in 2027, and easyJet told the British consumer site Which? that on flights departing the UK it won't increase the allowance even then.

What exactly did the EU approve?

In July 2026 the European Parliament approved the first major update to air passenger rights since 2004, and the Council of the EU gave it final approval a few days later. When it comes to bags, these are the main points:

• A free personal bag for every passenger: one bag up to 40×30×15 cm, or one that fits under the seat in front of you, is included in every ticket.
• The trolley: here the reports are less clear-cut. According to Which?, a standard ticket will also include a cabin bag, and those who don't need it can opt out. According to Euronews, airlines may still charge for a trolley, but must show a price that includes it at the very start of the booking, and they're allowed to offer a cheaper ticket without a cabin bag.
• Trolley dimensions were not standardized: each airline still decides for itself how large and how heavy the cabin bag may be.

According to the Council, the law takes effect 12 months and 20 days after its official publication. Which? estimates this will happen in October 2027 at the earliest, and an exact date hasn't been set yet.

What easyJet said, and why it doesn't apply to every flight

The law binds European airlines and flights departing from an airport in the EU. Most easyJet flights from the UK are operated by easyJet UK, a British company, so on a flight from the UK it isn't bound by the new rules. On a return flight from Spain to the UK, for example, they will apply. easyJet told Which? it is reviewing the rules for flights operated by its European company, easyJet Europe.

And the competitors? According to the same report, Ryanair announced it will adopt the change from October 2027 on all its flights, with a second hand-luggage bag up to 55×40×20 cm and 10 kg. Wizz Air said it will comply with the requirements when they take effect, and hasn't yet said how.

What does this mean for travellers?

Two simple things:

1. Until 2027 you fly by today's rules. Anyone booking a flight now for the holidays or next summer won't benefit from the new law, and should plan their bags around the airline's current allowance.
2. Check who operates the flight. The rules apply to European airlines and to flights departing the EU. On the way back from Europe they'll almost always apply. On an outbound flight from outside the EU, for example from Tel Aviv, it depends on the airline actually operating the flight, which appears on the ticket under "Operated by".

Today's allowances: easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air

The figures come from our airline table, checked against the official websites in September 2026:

Note: the personal bag of all three airlines is already larger today than the minimum the law sets (40×30×15). In other words, the real novelty in the law is around the trolley and price transparency, not around the small bag. You'll find all the details for each airline in our easyJet size guide, our Ryanair baggage guide and our Wizz Air size guide.

How to choose a bag that works on every airline, today and after the change

• A bag up to 40×30×15 cm works on all of them. It's within the free allowance of easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz, and also within the minimum the EU law guarantees. That's the safe size for anyone who flies several airlines.
• Measure the bag when it's full. Bulging outer pockets add centimeters, and a soft backpack squeezes into the sizer at the gate much more easily than a hard bag.
• If you only fly easyJet, you can go bigger. 45×36×20 cm is enough for a backpack with a laptop, clothes for a weekend and toiletries in a bag.
• Need a trolley? A 55×40×20 cm trolley meets the cabin limits of all three airlines. It's usually cheaper to add it in advance online than to pay for it at the gate.

Before you pack, it's also worth going over what you can bring in your carry-on, and browsing our backpacks by size.

How not to pay at the gate for a bag you thought was free

• The size includes everything. Handles, straps and bulging pockets all count. A bag that fits the sizer only when empty won't fit when it's full.
• One bag under the seat, not two. A duty-free bag, a coat over your arm or a separate laptop bag sometimes count as an extra item. If you plan to shop at duty free, leave room inside the bag.
• Keep the important things in the small bag. If the trolley is taken at the gate to the hold because the overhead bins are full, medication, documents, chargers and your laptop should stay with you.
• Check the booking, not your memory. The allowance is written in each flight's booking confirmation, and that's what counts. If you fly two different airlines out and back, pack for the stricter of the two.

Sources

This article is based on a report by Which? from September 24, 2026 and a report by Euronews from July 7, 2026. The airline allowances were checked against their official websites in September 2026, and it's always worth confirming them again in the booking itself.