Travellers will now have to pay up to an extra £22 if they want to take larger items into the cabin or face items being placed in the hold at the gate.

The new policy, roles out this week, grants passengers only a small cabin bag, which must be able to fit under the seat in front of them.

It mirrors Ryanair’s controversial hang luggage rules from January.

Wizz’s new rules state: “As we have limited space onboard, we cannot guarantee that all passengers’ hand luggage will be travelling with them in the cabin area of the aircraft.

“Only passengers with Wizz Priority will be able to bring their hand luggage on board subject to boarding procedures at each airport.

“Hand luggage of all passengers who have not purchased Wizz Priority will be placed into the cargo hold compartment of the aircraft and can be collected at the baggage belt in the arrival airport.”

Under the old rules, all Wizz passengers were allowed to carry on one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg and less than 55x40x23cm. Wizz Priority passengers were allowed to take a second bag of up to 40x30x18cm into the cabin too.

Now only those who pay for Wizz Priority, which costs between £4 and £10 in advance or £22 at the airport, will be able to take larger bags into the cabin.

Wizz says excess hand baggage will be placed in the cargo hold free of charge, adding the move was designed to “minimise hand luggage related delays”.