An Easyjet passenger said staff singled him out by demanding he demonstrate his hand luggage met size requirements on four separate occasions.
Richard Deakin, 37, was departing from London Luton Airport for a brief visit to Malaga on September 28 when ground personnel challenged him about his cabin bag dimensions.
The security consultant, from Halesowen, maintains that airline employees repeatedly insisted he prove his luggage complied with regulations, despite his assertions that it met the specified measurements.
His experience, which he documented on video and shared online, has garnered significant attention on social media platforms.
Mr Deakin was travelling with only hand luggage for his four-day trip, carrying clothing and four containers of gravy granules intended for his friend’s mother.
When staff requested that Mr Deakin should place his luggage in the sizing gauge, he acknowledged the bag was “hard to get in” but maintained it satisfied the requirements.
Frustrated by the repeated demands, the 37-year-old enlisted another passenger to record him demonstrating the bag’s compliance.
The footage, which has attracted over 106,000 views on TikTok, shows Mr Deakin forcefully pushing his luggage into the measuring device until it eventually slides to the bottom.
Easyjet came under fire in the video
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PA
During the recording, he can be heard questioning staff about whether the bag must fit “easily” into the gauge.
Mr Deakin characterised the airline’s actions as a revenue-generating strategy.
He said: “If I hadn’t been so persistent they would’ve forced me to pay that fine. It’s a money-making tactic.”
He revealed that management personnel required additional demonstrations even after multiple staff members had witnessed his initial attempts.
EasyJet said passengers are only charged if their bags are too large
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GETTY“I’d done it once or twice before the video, and [then] two times with managers,” he explained.
He expressed particular frustration when a manager demanded another demonstration despite six employees having already approved the bag.
Growing concerned about potentially missing his departure, Mr Deakin ultimately removed a book and battery pack from his luggage to ensure smoother compliance with the sizing requirements.
The passenger now encourages other travellers to challenge what he perceives as unfair baggage charges, stating: “So many people wouldn’t have been so persistent and fallen right into the trap.”
His video prompted divided responses on social media, with some supporting his stance whilst others condemned his approach.
Supportive comments included “EasyJet should be ashamed” and “If it fits, it doesn’t matter if it’s easy or not.”
However, critics questioned his conduct, with users asking “Why are you yelling at them?”
Another asked: “Why are you shouting at them for doing their jobs?”
An Easyjet spokesman said: “We have a well understood bag policy and customers are only charged if their bags are too large, in fairness to customers who have paid to bring larger bags.
“We do not tolerate aggressive or threatening behaviour towards our ground crew.
“Once Mr Deakin was able to fit his bag in the gauge, he was not charged and was able to board.”