Five methods to ‘sneak extra’ on board ‘without paying’ and avoid ‘baggage fees’

Travel experts at Panache Cruises shared five hacks to avoid overweight baggage fees this summer.

James Cole, founder and managing director of Panache Cruises, commented that “with a little bit of imagination, there are many hacks that holiday-goers can try to sneak a little extra on board without paying any more” and avoid the “strict airline limits”.

“From packing clothing within a pillowcase to using duty-free bags to sneak in extras, travellers who want to keep costs down when travelling have some inventive options.

“It is easy to overpack and fill bags to the brim, so holidaymakers should think twice about what they truly need because there is no worse start to a holiday than unexpected and unwanted charges.”

1. Invest in a travel vest

James explained that wearable luggage, “which offers a multitude of pockets to cram in small items”, would be a great investment for frequent flyers who “don’t want to pay extra for baggage”.

READ MORE: Flight attendant says Toblerone is ‘easiest’ method to get upgrade

Investing in a travel vest, which can be found on Amazon, could be a life-changing way to travel as “they are incredibly functional, often lightweight, and travellers can use it to safely store their valuables and gadgets”.

2. Invest in the best travel bag

Similarly, investing in a lightweight bag is a clever option for passengers to pack in heavier items as airlines can be very strict about the weight of hand luggage.

“There are also many viral hand luggage bags which have been made popular by social media. Available to buy online, these fit the specific measurements of each airline’s policy,” James suggested.

3. Scrap the toiletries

Toiletries can be very heavy, so to avoid excess baggage charges, “it is a good idea to buy them all on arrival at the destination”.

The travel guru explained that holidaymakers should be able to find their favourite products abroad and “they should be a little cheaper, too, with any luck”.

4. Travel in the heaviest clothing

Wearing the heaviest clothes on the plane is “a great way to keep to weight restrictions”. Holidaymakers can wear their hoodies, coats and heaviest shoes to make more room in their case.

The travel expert also recommended using the pockets of the bulky clothing to stash more items.

5. Layer up

Finally, layering up is also an effective way to save space in the suitcase and under a coat, “no one will ever know there are eight bikinis, five tops and a hoodie”.

James explained: “As soon as travellers get on board, they can strip down to their original outfit because, technically, no one can say anything.

“While this strategy can involve holiday-goers wearing an entire wardrobe on the flight, if desperate to travel cheaply, this is definitely an option.”