I’ve travelled the world – here’s why you should never check in a suitcase even for long-haul holidays
A FREQUENT traveller has revealed why you should never check in a suitcase during a flight.
Travel writer Tim Richards has travelled all over the world and has been to Egypt, Poland, Italy, and Japan.
In his years of travelling, Tim has learnt all about the do’s and don’ts of overpacking.
In an article in the Sunday Morning Herald, he explained why holidaymakers should avoid checking in a suitcase.
He wrote: “I remember clearly the last time I checked in a suitcase for a long-haul flight, and the lightbulb moment when I realised it had been a mistake.”
When Tim was on holiday in Siena in Italy, he built up a sweat lugging his large suitcase around the Tuscan hills.
After this trip, Tim started using the Rule of Three to keep his packing and luggage down to a minimum.
Instead of filling up a giant suitcase, Tim packed a capsule wardrobe of three T-shirts, three pairs of trousers, three pairs of socks, and three pieces of underwear to create multiple outfits.
While this method does require a hefty amount of holiday laundry, Tim believes it’s worth it in the long run.
He added: “The true point of light packing, to me, is being able to carry all your luggage on foot for a reasonable distance.
“Not only do you get to skip luggage check-in and the carousel, but you can also skip predatory airport taxi drivers and use public transport.”
And Tim isn’t the only person who has turned their back on holidaying with hold luggage and cabin-sized suitcases.
Since budget airlines started charging customers for their cabin bags, holidaymakers have been maximising their free luggage allowance.
In recent months, people have taken to TikTok to rave about the personal bags that make the most of the limited space.
I recently put one personal bag to the test for Sun Online Travel, on a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Vienna.
During the 5-day trip, I managed to fit 1 x travel towel, 2 x dresses, 3 x t-shirts, 1 x trousers, underwear, and a pair of pyjamas, plus hair straighteners and curlers, 3 small toiletry bags, a Kindle, a charger, a handbag, and a notebook.
I was very impressed with just how much I could fit in the bag, but there was one downside to its design.
The small handle, which didn’t fit over my bulky coat, dug into my hand as I carried the bag through the security queue and around the departures lounge.
But for an extra £3 holidaymakers can purchase a version of the bag with a shoulder strap for £18.99 on Amazon.
Meanwhile, other people on TikTok have revealed how they sneakily maximised their luggage space for free by stuffing pillowcases and putting bags under their coats.
One baggage handler revealed the bag you should never check-in.