A furious vacationer has accused easyJet of singling him out after he alleged the airline demanded him to prove his luggage fit the sizer four times before allowing him on his flight.
Richard Deakin was departing from London Luton Airport for a four-night trip to visit a friend in Málaga, Spain, on September 28, traveling with only hand luggage. The 37-year-old had packed enough clothes for his short stay, as well as four containers of gravy granules for his friend’s mother.
Richard, admitting he was “quite angry,” was requested to place his bag in the sizer. Although he acknowledged it was a tight fit, he argued it was suitable, but the staff disagreed. An irritated Richard asked another passenger to film him reinserting his bag into the sizer to demonstrate his point.
In a video posted on TikTok, Richard can be seen repeatedly pushing his bag into the sizer until it eventually fits. In the clip, which has amassed over 106,000 views, Richard can be heard questioning staff members about the requirement for the bag to fit easily into the sizer.
Richard claims he was directed to test his bag in the sizer two more times under the supervision of managers. Concerned about missing his flight, he removed a book and a battery pack. The security consultant, confident that his bag fit, alleges it is a tactic for profit and advises against paying if the luggage meets the size requirements.
Despite some social media users supporting Richard, others criticized him for his behavior towards the staff. Richard, from Halesowen, West Midlands, stated, “If I hadn’t been so persistent, they would have coerced me into paying that fee. It’s a money-making strategy.”
Richard now urges fellow travelers not to pay excessive baggage charges if their luggage complies with the regulations. He emphasized, “Many people would not have been as insistent and would have fallen into the trap. While I understand the rules, it’s frustrating to pay for a bag that was within the limits.”
An easyJet spokesperson clarified, “We have a well-established bag policy, and customers are only charged if their bags exceed the size limit. We do not condone aggressive behavior towards our ground crew. Once Mr. Deakin was able to fit his bag in the gauge, he was not charged and was permitted to board.”