'What am I supposed to do?': Woman says she was charged $100 to take water bottle on plane
While airlines around the world are cracking down on hand luggage, one company slapped a woman with a $100 fee - for her water bottle.
Ruby Flanagan was flying from Dublin to Stansted near London on low cost carrier Ryanair.
The airline is renowned for its low fares - but also for charging for every little extra thing.
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Teenage kids travelling by plane. The girl is drinking water from a reusable water bottle. Shot with Canon R5 Getty
Ruby says she had her 750ml water bottle on a strap around her body as she went to board.
She said while her backpack met the rules, staff told her the water bottle had to go inside.
But it wouldn't fit properly and bulged out, she wrote in The Mirror.
Ruby was then told her bag was now too big and she had to pay for her water bottle as a "second bag" to get on the flight.
The fee was €60 ($100).
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Ruby said she asked staff "in desperation... what am I supposed to do?"
"You'll have to pay for it either way," one staff member told her.
"Out, it's a second bag and in, the bag's too big, so you'll need to pay," she was told.
Ruby said she paid the fee because she didn't want to miss the plane.
But she said later realised it would have been cheaper to just leave her bottle behind for the 50 minute flight.
The traveller was on her way home from Dublin in Ireland. Getty
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Ruby also noted other passengers were allowed on carrying laptops, travel pillows and Burger King takeaway.
She said she had also carried the water bottle on her outward flight with no problem.
The extra fee cost almost as much as her return flight, which was around $70.
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Ryanair says on it's website "fares include one small personal bag which can be brought on board, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40x20x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you."
Another cabin bag, to a maximum weight of 10kg, has to be paid for.
"Non-priority customers who bring their 10kg check-in bag to the boarding gate may check it in against payment of a fee of £46/ €60," Ryanair says.
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