Travel question of the day: Simon Calder on how to guarantee your carry-on bag isn't put in the hold on a Ryanair flight

Q I am going on a photo tour to Brittany in September, flying with Ryanair. My cabin luggage will be my camera backpack full of expensive equipment. I read that Ryanair will guarantee only 90 bags in the cabin. Is there a way in which I can make sure mine is one of them? I shudder to think of mine in the hold!

John D

A Since budget airlines started charging for checked baggage a decade ago, many passengers have chosen to carry cabin luggage only; Ryanair insisted that was its plan all along. But so successful has the airline been in modifying behaviour (and filling its planes) that there is usually not enough room for all the hand baggage.

The airline says: “Due to cabin space limitations only 90 large cabin bags can be carried in the cabin. Any remainder will be carried free of charge in the aircraft hold.” Not only is this tedious (because you have to wait at baggage reclaim for your bag), it also means your luggage may be less gently handled than you would like.

Thankfully there is a way to be almost 100 per cent certain that you can ensure only you handle this valuable cargo - but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it comes at a price. You need to pay in advance for Priority Boarding.

Ryanair says: “Passengers who have purchased Priority Boarding will not be asked to place their cabin bag in the aircraft hold, unless necessary due to operational reasons.” You may be alarmed by that caveat - but it would be extremely unlikely. The only circumstances I can imagine in which it might come into play would be if Ryanair chartered in a different aircraft type to operate your flight, and for some reason the overhead bins could not handle 90 large pieces of cabin baggage. But even in this rare event, I’m sure in explaining your concerns to the ground staff a solution will be found.

So how do you get Priority Boarding? Well, it’s available only when you also pay to pre-book a seat. If you buy a “Premium Seat” - in the first five rows, or the extra legroom offered by emergency exit rows 16 and 17 - then Priority Boarding is included. These seats typically cost £12-£20. The cheaper way to do it is to pre-book a seat at the back of the plane (row 18 and higher) for as little as £4. You can then add Priority Boarding for £2.99.

Note that if other people are on the same booking as you, then they must also pay for Priority Boarding.

Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder