In addition to basic ticket prices, baggage fees have become more common in recent years, with some airlines reducing the size of their free cabin baggage allowances. Known for its low fares, Ryanair and EasyJet were pioneers who charged baggage for extra costs. In fact, Ryanair customers who have an oversized bag (over 55x40x20cm) at the gate can be forced to check it out and charged between £70 and £75 for pleasure.
Travel packaging has become a viral trend along with holiday makers looking for innovative ways to maximize luggage space. However, experts warn that a popular workaround for sneaking away extra items on planes could cause passengers to land in hot water bottles.
“Pillow Hack” has been making waves on social media for several years. In this craft trick, passengers packed empty pillowcases or neck pillows with extra clothes to pay for an additional bag for clothes. However, one Tiktok user, @natashaorganic, realized that it wasn't entirely. They shared a video where Hack had a brilliant failure, earning over 2.8 million views and over 300,000 likes.
The clip shows passengers looking far away after Orlando International Airport staff insisted they would pay for extra packs of pillowcases full of clothes. A line exploded with airport staff when passengers were unable to comply with instructions, and they were denied boarding and escorted from the gate by the airport police.
Airline staff became wise to the tricks of savvy travelers. Many people are calling for EasyJet and Ryanair to be particularly hot. In the R/Travel Reddit thread, one person wrote:
Ryanair's policy states, “If a small bag or 10kg cabin bag fits in a luggage sizer located at all boarding gates, the luggage will be tagged and placed on hold on aircraft eligible for payment of the gate bag fee.”
“If you purchase a check-in bag, you will need to check this in at the bag drop desk at the airport. If you bring your check-in bag to the boarding gate, you will need to pay a fee for each bag to place it on hold on the aircraft. If you don't pay the gate bag fee, you will not be able to board the flight.”
But the tips have a loophole that many claim to be more successful than using pillowcases.
The EasyJet website states, “You are allowed to bring extra items into the cabin. For example, you have an umbrella, an overcoat, a crutch, a walking stick, and one bag of standard items purchased at the airport.”
Travelers use tax-free bags to hide fake pillows.
Successful passenger shared on Reddit: “I put the cushion cover in a tax-free bag. It worked. I put all the clothes in and put more in my case. It worked again.
Travel experts urge people on flights to be vigilant about the risks associated with hacking.
Kate Staniforth, Head of Marketing at Travel Republic, commented:
He states: “It comes from the discretion of the airline staff, meaning they have the option to pay for additional packages or leave the items behind.
“We enjoy going on holidays and don't want to risk having to leave our property or pay for additional luggage at the airport.
The best way to pack only your baggage is to invest in a good carry-on bag that meets the airline's measurement restrictions and use a packing cubes that compress your belongings.
However, it must be packaged strategically and intimately.
