Passengers flying with Ryanair and easyJet could soon benefit from more generous cabin baggage allowances without facing additional charges.

Currently, travellers on basic fares with these carriers are restricted to one small personal item, with any extra luggage attracting an additional cost. Following amendments to EU regulations, Ryanair has been compelled to increase the permitted dimensions of personal bags. The new rules allow passengers to carry hand luggage measuring up to 40 x 30 x 20cm, a 20 per cent increase from the previous 40 x 20 x 25cm limit.

EasyJet's personal bag dimensions already meet these requirements. Now, further EU regulatory changes could allow travellers to bring both a cabin bag measuring up to 100cm and a personal bag without incurring extra costs.

In January, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to grant all passengers the right to carry a small case in addition to the complimentary underseat bags currently permitted. The Parliament's proposal would entitle passengers to bring aboard, at no additional cost, one personal item (such as a handbag, rucksack or laptop) and one small piece of hand luggage with maximum combined dimensions of 100cm (length, width and height) and weighing up to seven kg.

The proposed changes, which require approval from the European Council to become law, would affect all passengers flying to or from an EU airport on an EU-based airline.

This directly impacts the majority of short-haul flights departing from the UK. MEPs are also advocating for a regulation that ensures children under 12 years old are seated next to an accompanying passenger at no additional charge. At present, there is no legal obligation for airlines to seat children with their parents, although the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recommends they do so.

The CAA states: "Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults."

They further clarify the rationale behind this guidance: "This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children."