Nailing down that hand baggage policy
As Hot Chocolate would say, no doubt about it - Ryanair has DEFINITELY got either a) an urge to up the profit-per-punter-per-flight or b) introduced a coherent and consistent policy about carry-on bags.
I have just returned from my second flight to the Iberian Peninsula (Ed. - please check speeling) in two weeks and on both legs of the journey all carry-ons were checked for size.
Nay bother for me, as I no longer carry bulky mags for my business partner.
Going out earlier this week, the flight was full - not a seat to be had anywhere - so the checking was probably due to the fact that they KNEW there would not have been enough overhead space for all the carry-ons.
So, more profitable and less hassle on board to catch a few hapless people at the departure gate and squeeze some dosh out of them because they haven't followed "ze rules".
Cynical? Moi?
Coming back to the UK, everything was again checked for size - which is when "the incident"  happened.
Getting my bag into the I-can't-believe-it's-not-the-right-size contraption went smoothly.
Getting it out again was a different matter.
Eventually, under the watchful, but unhelpful, eye of the Bag Monitor, I extracted it from its cage - and left behind half a torn finger nail.
However, I am delighted to report that after catching the spikey nail twice early in the flight - once when securing seat belts and again when pulling down the drinks tray - an attentive member of the cabin crew spotted the problem and, without being asked, offered to get me a plaster for the offending appendage.
Now that's service. I'd have fallen off my chair if I had been sitting on one.
Wonder if my travel insurance covers ripped nails?