A former flight attendant has shared a clever trick to dodge luggage fees on budget airlines. Miguel Muñoz revealed that passengers can use duty-free shopping bags as an extra carry-on, as they are not counted as standard baggage by gate agents.
Muñoz explained: 'If you have something that doesn't fit in your suitcase or you want to bring an extra bag on board, here's the trick. All you have to do is carry a duty-free bag. Or ask for one at the duty-free shop and you place whatever you want in the shopping bag. There is obviously limited space, but at least you are bringing an extra bag on the plane with you.'
Another popular hack involves using a pillowcase to carry extra items, a method that has gone viral on social media. One TikTok user claimed: 'I did it on two transatlantic flights and it worked.' However, travellers are advised to check airline rules, as some may have specific policies on duty-free allowances and overall size and weight limits.
Passengers can also maximise pocket space for small items like toiletries and chargers. A travel expert from Handluggageonly recommended wearing extra clothes if a bag is overweight: 'Technically, no one can say anything about the fact that you just wore your extra clothes on you instead of having them in your luggage.'
