Does RyanAir strictly enforce its weight limit (33 pounds) on checked baggage and allow one piece per person? This has significance for us since we're flying to Scotland under Continental's more liberal weight allowance but will fly RyanAir to Ireland before returning to the U.S.

I would count on it--we flew RyanAir several times this past summer and they weigh each and every bag before it is tagged and loaded. Hope for the best but at least be prepared to pay extra if that is their policy.

You should assume that they will. We did find that they did not charge us a surcharge for our family of five, even though two out of the five were over the carry-on baggage (weight) limit (8 kg? I can't remember), and the "unders" did not entirely make up for the overs.

But that was at a very "satellite" airport for them (Graz, Austria).

If mym memory IS correct, and you're allowed 17.6 pounds carry-on, and 33 pounds checked, that is still a LOT of stuff. The key is luggage that weights nothing. My long standing advice; your checked bag (a 22" rollaboard for me) should not exceed eight pounds when empty, and your carry-on should not exceed eight OUNCES (i.e., a small-medium nylon duffel - - those can easily carry 15-20 pounds of stuff).

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex or anyone--we plan to fly Ryan Air from Dinard to London and then London to Dublin. (Which, I guess, means double overweight chanrges if we incur them, because they don't check through.) One their website, it seems clear that they allow only one carryon, so, if you have a purse, you can't bring even a tote bag onto the plane. Do they enforce that? If they do, do they allow you to check two bags as long as each one is under their size limit (naturally you'd pay for overweight)? I need to know if I can bring a tote on this trip!

I don't think they "discriminate" against any normal sized purse. I guess, as a back up, you could carry a big plastic trash bag that could hold both the purse AND the tote! then you would only have one carry-on!

Rex--Now that's thinking outside the box, er, bag! I do so want to appear chic when in France. And avoid looking like a stereotypical American. Do you know if they'll let you check 2 items, though?

I don't know about a family of five, but when I flew them with my bf in May, they let me combine my overweight luggage with his underweight luggage to fall under the combined allowance for two people. This was at Dublin Airport, not sure if it applies at all airports. They didn't flinch at all in Edinburgh when we both had overweight luggage.