Ryanair passenger uses wild hack to get 20kg worth of luggage on board for free
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A budget holiday can quickly turn expensive once you factor in the extras, and hidden baggage fees are often to blame.
Passengers are increasingly being stung by extra charges, with some forced to pay £60 or more at the gate for bags that apparently don't fit into the baggage sizers.
Last year, Ryanair and Easyjet were fined a combined €150 million (£126 million) for 'abusive' baggage charges in Spain. And there have even been calls for the EU to intervene over the 'ridiculous' charges.
To avoid forking out for a checked bag, some savvy travellers are taking matters into their own hands, inventing clever packing hacks that allow them to sneak extra luggage onto their flight.
From buying a travel pillow for extra storage to hiding items in duty-free carriers, there's a plethora of TikTok luggage tips that promise to help dodge the add-ons.
One traveller, Rob Adcock, shared a simple yet bizarre hack on how to sneak 20kg of luggage on board a Ryanair flight totally free.
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The BBC presenter, from Stoke-on-Trent, frequently makes headlines with his travel tips and tricks and knows a thing or two about how to go abroad on a budget.
In a video, which has racked up 2.4 million views and over 50,000 likes, he films himself putting his clothes through a vacuum pack machine.
Placing several squashed parcels into his backpack, he laughs as he makes his way onto the £15 flight. And despite trepidation, Rob then breezes past the usually eagle-eyed gate agents, without any of them suspecting a thing.
All Ryanair passenger fare types include a small personal bag, which must fit under the seat in front. This can be a handbag, laptop bag or backpack, with the dimensions 40 x 20 x 25 cm.
Cabin baggage, which must be stored in the overhead locker, can be purchased. It must be 10kg and 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
Checked baggage can also be added on. This must be under 80 x 120 x 120 and must be dropped at the check-in desk before security.
Ryanair's website says: 'You must adhere to the baggage allowance on your booking. If your small bag or 10kg cabin bag does not fit in the baggage sizers, which are placed at every boarding gate, we will tag your bag and place it in the aircraft hold, subject to payment of a gate bag fee. You can collect it on the baggage carousel at your arrival airport.'
One user declared him the 'package cube final boss' in the comments, but others were more skeptical, including one who said: 'Vacuum-packed stuff is heavy .'
'Literally saw someone get caught doing this in Budapest today,' a user named Ronan added. 'It didn't end well.' More Trending
And as another pointed out, there's a major flaw in the hack: 'How are you supposed to vacuum it back up before going back on the plane when going home?'
You're unlikely to have access to a vacuum at your beach resort hotel, so if you are going to recreate Rob's trick, you'll need to pack a portable one or see if housekeeping can lend you theirs – otherwise, you won't fit your items in your bag again, and will end up paying for a case on the journey back.
Plus, while this technique is definitely a space saver, many airlines have rules on how heavy a passenger's carry-on should be. So make sure to check the guidelines of the airline you're flying with.
Metro has contacted Ryanair for comment. The airline's website states that its free small bag must fit under the passenger seat in front and be no larger than 40 x 20 x 25 cm.
Knowing what you can and can't pack in your luggage isn't easy – the list is long and differs depending on whether you are taking your bag into the cabin or checking it into the hold.
Remember that there are rules on how much liquid you can take in your hand luggage, and be sure to check the guidance for the country you are travelling to because different parts of the world have different rules.
Below is a list of prohibited items you cannot pack in any luggage you take on a plane: Smoke canisters and smoke cartridges
Flammable liquids and solids
Oxidisers such as bleaching powders
Organic peroxides Tear gas devices or any gas cylinders
Infectious substances such as live virus materials
Wet-cell car batteries
Magnetrons and instruments containing mercury Instruments containing magnets Fireworks and pyrotechnics Firelighter, lighter fuel, paints, thinners Poisons, arsenic, cyanide, weedkiller Radioactive materials, acids, corrosives, alkalis, caustic soda
Creosote, quicklime, oiled paper Vehicle fuel system components that contain fuel Explosives, ammunition, detonators and related equipment
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