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Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
I stuffed my bra before a Wizz Air flight — it saved me a fortune
I was in the airport toilets, standing in front of the mirror, trying to wedge a bikini top into the side of my brand-new pink DD bra. Next in went my unused gym kit, followed by my fishing vest (more on that later). With every item, my reflection became a little… curvier. As someone who's never had much going on in that department, it might appear like a cheap boob job. But this wasn't vanity – it was strategy. I was flying home from Lisbon with Wizz Air in January, and they only allow a tiny 40 x 30 x 20cm cabin bag for free. I'd managed the outbound flight just fine thanks to a fishing vest with over 15 pockets, but I really wanted to give a different hack a go for my return. I cautiously zipped up my jacket and took one last look in the mirror before heading for my gate, praying no one would notice I was basically wearing half my suitcase on my chest. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. The idea started earlier that morning, when I'd been rifling through the sales rack in Lisbon's H&M hoping to find something to test out. I'd hoped for a hoodie with deep pockets or a slim bag I could tuck under my coat, but instead my hands landed on a large bra with the price reduced to €5. I was about to push it away when an idea came to me: what if this bra was the answer to bonus luggage space? The concept of wearing extra clothes to avoid fees certainly isn't new. There's a reason why Joey Tribbiani's 'Could I BE wearing any more clothes' moment in Friends is still a popular meme. It perfectly sums up the theatrics we have to resort to just to get a few extra outfits on board without paying more. However, I'd never seen anyone use a bra for this purpose. And the logic was solid: airlines weigh and measure your bag, not your body. My coat pockets had been carrying overflow snacks and chargers for years, so why not give my chest a piece of the action too? On the day of my flight, I wasn't about to stroll through security looking like I'd got a Portuguese breast enlargement – this was about getting through the scales and bag sizers. Technically, clothes wouldn't trigger alarms, but the thought of a pat-down revealing wads of fabric was enough to make me blush. So I stuffed the bra in my bag, sailed through security, and headed straight for the toilets to transform. On went the bra – over my shirt for speed – and then the stuffing began. My bikini and gym kit slid neatly into one cup, my fishing vest into the other. With each addition, my silhouette changed and I couldn't help but let out a cackle, reminded of playing dress-up as a child and stuffing wads of toilet paper down my top. Zipping my jacket was a slight challenge, and the moment the zip reached the top, the temperature began to rise. Lisbon might have been in winter mode, but under my layers, I was experiencing my own private heatwave. When I emerged, James – my boyfriend and travel companion – looked me up and down, his eyebrows creeping higher with each passing second. He didn't say a word, but his expression said it all: what on earth have you done now? At the gate, I braced myself. I'm always slightly on edge when pushing the boundaries of airline rules. You hear horror stories of passengers being told to unpack their bags, shove them into baggage sizers, or pay last-minute fines that cost more than the flight itself. I imagined a gate agent pointing me out, demanding to know why I looked like I'd swallowed a small rucksack. In reality, no one batted an eyelid. Boarding went smoothly, but I couldn't wait to reach my seat to rid myself of my ridiculous get-up. I hastily unzipped my coat on the plane before realising my faux pas – I forgot that my bulging bra was on the outside of my shirt. Naturally, it took me an age to unclip the clasp at the back, much to the entertainment of my fellow passengers. Settled, I was finally able to reflect on the hack at hand. Did it work? Yes. I avoided paying for another bag and breezed through without question. But the downsides were obvious. You can't pack much without looking completely unnatural, it's sweltering, and you will inevitably embarrass yourself if you decide to take it off. More Trending Would I do it again? Nah. This was a one-and-done. For me, there are far better hacks out there: The neck pillow trick – fill it with underwear or lightweight clothes. It's surprisingly roomy and no one questions it (just stick to your least-worn garments for the return journey…). The fishing vest hack – it's basically a wearable cupboard, complete with deep pockets for chargers, snacks, and even a laptop. The duty-free bag dodge – pick up a bag from duty-free, slip a jumper or two inside, and stroll on board looking like you've just bought perfume. The large backpack gamble – my personal go-to. Risk it all by taking a bag that's actually too big. I find that as long as you wear it on your back and keep facing the front, they often don't care. All of these have worked several times for me without the heat, bulk, or awkward mid-flight unzipping. So, if you're in a real fix and have a spare big bra lying around, sure – give it a go. If you don't have big boobs already, it will likely work and you might save a bob or two in fees. But for the sake of your comfort (and perhaps even your dignity), a jacket with deep pockets will do the job just as well – so when you unzip mid-flight, you'll look completely normal and not like you got dressed in the dark. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: The UK's 'prettiest village' is a magical place — but time your visit wisely MORE: We swerved a beach honeymoon for a European city break — we're itching to go back MORE: I've been to 175 countries – but I always go back to these underrated gems
Daily Mirror
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Ryanair passenger uses 'genius' hack to get 20kg of luggage free on board
A Ryanair passenger has gone viral on TikTok after finding a 'wild' hack to get 20kg worth of luggage on board without having to pay for an extra bag - but not everyone's a fan Ryanair 's cabin bag fees are infamous; passengers are allowed one small bag in the cabin for free, but if you want a second bag you'll need to pay extra. However, one passenger has gone viral after using a 'wild' hack to get around the rules and bring 20kg of luggage on board without needing to pay extra. Rob Adcock, a presenter from Stoke-on-Trent, is known for his budget-friendly travel tips and advice. In a recent video, which has since been viewed 2.4million times, he revealed that he paid £15 for his Ryanair flight, and then got his bag in for free. The trick? Using a vacuum pack machine to compress his clothes. In the video he can be seen lifting the bag of compressed garments, and chuckling before exclaiming, "Look at it!". He then places several of these parcels into his backpack, the free one that's included in his ticket, and then boards the flight. He quipped in the caption: "POV: You've vacuum packed all your suitcase to fit into a free Ryanair bag so you don't have to pay to hold luggage." In the comments section, people seemed a little divided. The majority praised the hack and joked around the fact that it was swerving those pesky fees, but others pointed out that the backpack would be fairly uncomfortable. "Vacuum packed stuff is HEAVY," one person commented with two laughing emojis. Another remarked: "But then all my clothes are creased." Meanwhile others warned they'd seen similar behaviours on their flight, but that those travellers "got caught" and "it didn't end well". (We suspect they would have been hit with some hefty extra charges). One holidaymaker asked a fair question: "How are you supposed to vacuum it back up before going back on the plane when going home?". It's not the first time that a holidaymaker has tried to find a way around Ryanair's hand luggage rules. In recent years, plenty of travellers have tried tricks such as wearing all of their clothes in one go (a move that Joey Tribbiani would approve of no doubt), or even attempting to put their belongings in a pillowcase, to pass it off as a pillow and therefore not include it as a piece of hand luggage. However, proceed with caution; airline staff are wise to all of these tricks and while you may get lucky and face a member of staff who's happy to turn a blind eye, if you get caught out you could end up having to pay on-the-spot charges for bags which could cost more than what it would have cost to add a bag onto your booking originally. There is a silver lining for families though, as a Ryanair rule change lets you bring 50% more luggage with one special bag, although it's worth noting that this won't count as free hand luggage if you've already got a bag with you, as per the usual rules. In the meantime, Brits heading to the airport with laptops and phones should also make sure they're checking their gadgets, as one simple mistake could mean you get turned away at airport security, ending your holiday before it's even started!
