Budget airlines are charging more to fly baggage than passengers - these are the worst offenders

Popular cheap airlines Ryanair, Flybe and easyJet were named among the airlines charging higher fees for luggage than the cost for a person to fly abroad and back.

Additional charges

An investigation by The Mail on Sunday found that airlines are charging additional costs to take anything more than hand luggage on board.

However, these extra charges are not revealed until late into the booking process, with travellers first lured in by 'bargain' flights, before discovering there are additional costs to take a suitcase.

Once customers have begun their online booking , they are typically asked late into the process if they want to 'opt in' and pay extra for any bags that are too big to fit into the overhead locker.

Airlines are increasingly turning to additional charges to boost their income, with research revealing the world's top 20 airlines saw a 110 per cent increase in revenue from luggage fees between 2014 and 2018.

Last year, airlines reportedly took a huge £22.2 billion in luggage fees.

Customers are typically asked late into the booking process if they want to 'opt in' and pay extra for any bags (Photo: Shutterstock)

Worst offenders

The investigation discovered five different airlines flying passengers to Europe which can charge more for extra bags than the cost of a ticket.

Customers who fly with easyJet to Faro from London Southend would be charged £48.57 for a return flight, only to later be landed with an additional cost of £69.23 to take a bag into the hold.

The cost of a £29.98 trip to Copenhagen with Ryanair from London Stansted jumped up in price by £50 to check in a 20kg suitcase.

Similar deals were also being offered by Flybe, Level Airlines and Vueling.

A Ryanair spokesman said: "Our baggage policy is transparent and beneficial to customers.