Latest news with #FrancescaPage
Fox News
3 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Should you lock your luggage when traveling? Why it's a weighty matter
As travelers embark on their summer trips this year, experts are weighing in on whether people should take the extra precaution of protecting their luggage by locking it up. Travel expert Francesca Page of New York told Fox News Digital that bags and checked bags have always been an issue. "Over the years, travel security has tightened for good reason," said Page. "People are not only concerned that their bags will go missing, but also that the bags are not secure or even securely handled," she added. Page said there's also the risk of airport theft. A massive 45.1 million Americans were predicted to travel at least 50 miles from their homes over Memorial Day weekend — with 3.61 million Americans flying to their destination, according to AAA. In addition, a 2025 summer travel survey from Deloitte has reported that 53% of Americans plan to take leisure vacations this summer, a rise from the 48% reported in 2024. Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital he wouldn't pack anything worth locking in checked bags. "The risk of an airline mishandling your bags is far greater than the risk of theft," said Leff. He added, "Losing luggage is just as bad as having it stolen — and a TSA-approved lock won't stop another passenger from taking your bag at the carousel upon arrival." The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) estimates that approximately 90,000 to 100,000 items are left behind at checkpoints each month. "There isn't much downside to locking your bag — until, of course, you lose the key or forget the combination," said Leff.
New York Post
28-05-2025
- New York Post
Travelers are taking extreme measures and using hacks to avoid airline baggage fees
Summer travel is in full swing after a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend. A massive 45.1 million Americans were predicted to travel at least 50 miles from their homes, with 3.61 million Americans flying to their destination. For those flyers who tend to bring a lot of baggage with them, a viral travel hack involving pillowcases is now apparently helping some passengers avoid checking a bag. The pillowcase travel hack disguises clothes and other soft items as a travel pillow. People are stuffing items into an empty pillowcase — then bringing this item on board for free. Most airlines allow passengers to bring travel pillows without counting the items as baggage. Travel expert Francesca Page of New York told Fox News Digital she recently returned from a trip and noticed an influx of people traveling with their own pillows. 'I always thought it was for in-flight comfort, especially for red-eye flights,' said Page. 'However, I came to find out that that isn't the ONLY reason people are taking their own pillows.' 3 Flyers are turning to a viral travel hack involving pillowcases to avoid checking a bag when flying. í¢í°íâíÅíí½í° íâí¾í»í°í¾í²í° – 3 People are stuffing items into an empty pillowcase and bringing it on board for free. í®í»í¸í íâí°í²í°í»í¸íËí¸í½í° – Page said that with the 'additional tightening of onboard luggage and fees, people will start getting smart about using the case itself to take whatever bulky items can't fit in their bag, because it's not technically considered more than a pillowcase.' Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog 'View From the Wing,' told Fox News Digital he saw the hack circulate on social media in 2023 and 2024, too. 'Nobody minds a pillow as an extra carry-on,' said Leff. 'It's not going in the overhead bin, or underneath your seat, usually. So you're betting that it just gets a pass.' 3 'Additional tightening of onboard luggage and fees, people will start getting smart about using the case itself to take whatever bulky items can't fit in their bag,' travel expert Francesca Page says. tampatra – 'This trick has been talked up enough, I think, that it's become too obvious to work in many cases. At least there's enough risk that it won't that it's probably not worth trying,' he added. Leff said that by bringing more items than allowed just to save on fees, he's seen passengers turn themselves into 'human suitcase[s].' Some passengers are even wearing as many clothes as possible along with stuffing their pockets with additional clothes.
Fox News
28-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Travelers are stuffing basic household item with clothes to avoid flight baggage fees
Summer travel is in full swing after a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend. A massive 45.1 million Americans were predicted to travel at least 50 miles from their homes, with 3.61 million Americans flying to their destination. For those flyers who tend to bring a lot of baggage with them, a viral travel hack involving pillowcases is now apparently helping some passengers avoid checking a bag. The pillowcase travel hack disguises clothes and other soft items as a travel pillow. People are stuffing items into an empty pillowcase — then bringing this item on board for free. Most airlines allow passengers to bring travel pillows without counting the items as baggage. Travel expert Francesca Page of New York told Fox News Digital she recently returned from a trip and noticed an influx of people traveling with their own pillows. "I always thought it was for in-flight comfort, especially for red-eye flights," said Page. "However, I came to find out that that isn't the ONLY reason people are taking their own pillows." Page said that with the "additional tightening of onboard luggage and fees, people will start getting smart about using the case itself to take whatever bulky items can't fit in their bag, because it's not technically considered more than a pillowcase." "You're betting that it just gets a pass." Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital he saw the hack circulate on social media in 2023 and 2024, too. "Nobody minds a pillow as an extra carry-on," said Leff. "It's not going in the overhead bin, or underneath your seat, usually. So you're betting that it just gets a pass." "This trick has been talked up enough, I think, that it's become too obvious to work in many cases. At least there's enough risk that it won't that it's probably not worth trying," he added. Leff said that by bringing more items than allowed just to save on fees, he's seen passengers turn themselves into "human suitcase[s]." Some passengers are even wearing as many clothes as possible along with stuffing their pockets with additional clothes.
