Budget carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet offer passengers flights at low-cost prices, but additional extras can soon add up. Hand luggage limitations can often catch unprepared travellers out, with fees in place for those who want to bring extra hand baggage onboard.
With many holidaymakers looking to save money where they can, TikTok has become a hub of people looking to find savvy ways to sneak their belongings onboard free of charge. However, experts from The Points Guy UK have warned these might not always be worth the risk.
TikTok user Larissa, who posts under the username @is.me.larry revealed a sneaky trick which helped her and her friends “save nearly €80” (approximately £67) on hand luggage fees between the three of them.
In the video, she said: “We tried the airport pillow hack and we succeeded.” The user and her friends can be seen stuffing all of their belongings into an empty pillow case, disguising them as comfy cushions for personal use during the flight.
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Commenting on the hack, Nicky Kelvin, head of The Points Guy (UK) said: “This is exactly what you think it is: stuffing a pillow with clothes and belongings that didn’t fit into your basic carry-on without exceeding limitations.
“This popular TikTok shows three women waltzing through a Spanish airport having shoehorned a bundle of summer clothing into three cushions they carried on to a flight.”
How much money the hack could save you depends on the airline you are travelling with and their hand luggage fees.
Nicky continued: “The likes of Ryanair and easyJet have been allowing people to bring pillows aboard for aeons, not to mention goading customers on social media over the more inventive means of maximising carry-on.
“Given the clothing and pillows are effectively perfect for stashing extra items, it was only a matter of time before people looking to avoid steep luggage prices steeper would see how far they could push it.”
However, he points out that whether or not the hack could land you in trouble is “debatable”.
Nicky explained: “You might very well get away with this one provided you’re not filling your pillow with anything that wouldn’t get through security anyway.”
Despite this, the expert says he wouldn’t necessarily recommend it as it might not be worth the savings.
Nicky said: “For one, all your clothes will be creased to high hell — just use packing cubes.
“Secondly, imagine this doesn’t work, do you want to be the person at the airport standing with a pillow of belongings they can’t take with them?
“Thirdly, actual pillows are far comfier than pillows you make out of your belongings.
“All this said, there are plenty of TikTok videos showing it does work, but with every view, there’s more heat and it wouldn’t be surprising if the airlines clamp down on the hack at some point.”
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How much does paying for extra hand luggage cost you?
Every airline has its own distinct rules regarding how much hand luggage passengers can bring onboard free of charge.
British Airways standard fare flights, for example, permit passengers to carry one handbag or laptop bag weighing up to 23kg and measuring up to 40 x 30 x 15cm, plus an additional cabin bag weighing up to 23kg and measuring up to 56 x 45 x 25cm. However, budget airlines tend tooter passengers a little bit less.
Ryanair offers a selection of different fare types, which include more bags for passengers. All passenger fare types include a small personal bag, which must fit under the seat in front of you.
Bags must measure no more than 40 x 25 x 20cm. Passengers who need to bring a little extra can purchase an additional bag for a cost of between £6 and £12.99.
Passengers travelling with easyJet can bring one small cabin bag per person on board for free. This can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm, including any handles or wheels, and needs to fit under the seat in front.
If you’d also like to bring a large cabin bag on board, measuring up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm, including any handles or wheels you can select an Up Front of Extra Legroom seat from £7.99 or a large cabin bag from £5.99.
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