Mum reveals her completely free airport hack to avoid paying hand luggage fees
A MUM has revealed the clever way she saves money on her hand luggage costs – and it’s completely free.
Avoiding excess baggage fees is one great way to keep holiday costs down, but it can be difficult, especially on budget airlines with strict carry-on rules.
Going by the name The Travel Mum on TikTok, she revealed how she uses a bag for life to skirt around strict carry-on rules.
She started the video by explaining how she made the most out of her hand luggage space by compressing her clothes in a vacuum-packed bag.
Other accessories like jewellery and make-up were then packed into small freezer bags in a bid to maximise space.
But the mum saved her best hack for last, she said: “I then put my laptop and my liquids into WHSmith carrier bags.
“So, when I’m boarding the plane it just looks like I’ve been shopping.”
The mum’s sneaky trick is successful because Duty-Free shopping bags don’t count as hand luggage.
This is to allow passengers to buy things at the airport like books, magazines, chocolate, crisps, and other snacks.
The sneaky hack only requires a bag for life from the high-street chain, which most Brit holidaymkers will already have tucked away in a drawer or cupboard.
And this isn’t the first time a passenger has used Duty-Free carrier bags to avoid paying hand luggage charges.
Earlier this year, Spanish TikToker Paula Brux, who goes by the name bruxpaula, revealed how she used the bags to get around the Ryanair luggage rules.
She wrote: “POV: You pay 20 cents (£18p) for two Duty Free bags at the airport and you save €30 (£26) on Ryanair. We were nervous, but it worked 10/10.”
The video has been watched more than 2.7million times with thousands liking the clever trick.
One person said: “This is next level.”
Another person praised it as “genius” although some were worried that the low-cost airline would catch on.
Holidaymakers who are worried about being caught out by the hack will be pleased to know that there are other ways to avoid costly charges.
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One of those is the Narwey duffel bag, which can be bought from Amazon for £14.99.
It’s become a huge hit on Tiktok in recent months, thanks to its ability to skirt the tough Ryanair hand luggage rules.
The bag is waterproof, meaning it will keep all your items dry, and also has several internal pockets, to keep everything well organised.
The straps also promise to handle more than 45lbs (20kg), meaning it can comfortably carry even the heaviest of hand luggage.
I recently put the 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.