An easyJet traveler shared her experience of challenging the airline’s fine for an oversized bag. Louise Machin was surprised when she was charged €58 (£51) at Chania Airport in Crete for her suitcase being too large, despite her prior measurements matching the requirements. After contacting the bag manufacturer, easyJet refunded her.

Ms. Machin, a 59-year-old from Crystal Palace, London, is not the only one facing unjust fines for oversized cabin bags due to issues with airport bag sizers, as reported by consumer group Which?. Passengers flying with budget airlines have learned to double-check bag dimensions and are reminded of the rules at check-in desks and boarding gates.

During a trip to Crete in April, Ms. Machin, a freelance film and TV sales director, faced the fine on her return journey despite no issues on her outbound flight. Despite her bag fitting the size requirements at London Gatwick, she encountered problems at Chania Airport due to a smaller bag sizer. Despite her efforts to prove compliance, she was forced to pay to board her flight home.

Upon validation from the bag manufacturer, Cabin Max, Ms. Machin received a refund from easyJet. Which? highlighted similar cases of passengers being wrongly fined for minor bag size discrepancies. The advice is to appeal if confident in the bag’s compliance.

Despite easyJet claiming no issues with the sizers at Chania Airport, they apologized to Ms. Machin and refunded the fine. The airline assured standardized sizers across all airports and promised to address any reported damages promptly to avoid such incidents in the future.