Two Australian travellers resorted to an ingenious and humorous airport strategy to dodge a hefty excess baggage charge from budget carrier Jetstar. Ebony and her sister Ellie faced a frustrating £170 fee at the boarding gate during their journey from Queensland to New South Wales, simply because their carry-on suitcases exceeded the strict 7kg limit by a mere few hundred grams.
The Costly Outbound Journey
"We had to pay £170 on the way to our destination for overweight bags, which actually cost us more than the flight ticket itself," Ebony explained in an interview. She noted that airline staff were uncompromising, refusing to let them rearrange items and insisting on the full payment. This experience left the sisters determined to avoid a repeat on their return flight.
Creative Pre-Boarding Preparations
Taking proactive measures, the pair decided to reduce their luggage weight by wearing multiple layers of their own clothing. In a now-viral video, the sisters were captured in an airport bathroom, humorously layering on several pairs of trousers, jumpers, and jackets. They even began stuffing toiletries into their pockets, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
"POV: Jetstar gets their scales out at the gate," Ebony joked in her video caption, highlighting the common traveller anxiety around budget airline baggage policies. Jetstar's official policy states that passengers arriving at the gate with excess carry-on must either pay a fee to have the bag checked or purchase additional allowance to carry up to 14kg onboard.
A Successful Return Strategy
Fortunately for Ebony and Ellie, their unconventional plan proved effective. They managed to board their return flight without paying a single penny in extra fees. "On our way back, we didn't have to pay - yay," Ebony confirmed. Once safely in their seats, the sisters promptly removed all the extra layers and packed them into their carry-on cases, which were then stored in the overhead lockers.
"We made it on the plane without paying extra - thank God," she remarked, expressing relief at their successful avoidance of further charges. Her video documenting the experience has garnered over 185,000 views, sparking widespread recognition and amusement among fellow travellers.
Widespread Traveller Solidarity
The clip resonated deeply with many who have faced similar dilemmas with budget airlines. Numerous viewers confessed to employing identical tactics. "The day we did this, they let us walk straight through without weighing," one commenter shared. Another admitted, "I've done this before and I looked huge and I couldn't walk properly - I even had shoes in pockets."
Others found the sisters' approach both relatable and clever. "This honestly makes me feel seen everyday," one viewer laughed, while another added, "You girls are too funny." The video prompted a flood of shared "sneaky" tricks for bypassing overweight luggage fees.
Alternative Fee-Avoidance Tactics
The online discussion revealed a spectrum of creative and sometimes dramatic methods travellers use. One person disclosed, "I used to use a toiletry bag with a hook and hang it down my back under a jacket." Another relied on emotional persuasion: "I cried my way out of it the last time I got caught."
Perhaps the most theatrical account came from a traveller who said, "Got caught once and my ninth grade theatre skills came out. I burst into tears and said that a close family friend had died and that I had booked last minute tickets... made them so uncomfortable I got through no issue with overweight bags."
Not All Stories Have Happy Endings
However, the stress of potential fees leads some to extreme actions. One anxious traveller revealed, "I got so anxious over this the other day, I threw out two pairs of shoes." Others weren't as fortunate as the sisters, with one lamenting, "I have been personally victimised by this... cost me £70 - no one warned me."
This incident underscores the ongoing tension between budget airlines' strict baggage enforcement and passengers' efforts to navigate these often costly regulations, highlighting a common pain point in modern air travel.
