People might find travel influencers or just the whole culture cringe, owing to their sudden rise in the digital space, but sometimes they can be a blessing! A savvy travel influencer has shared a game-changing tip to help flyers dodge unexpected baggage fees, a tip that many flyers were unaware of.
Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, flying seems more like a hassle than a privilege. With increased prices in fares and airport rules, Chelsea, better known on TikTok as Cheap Holiday Expert, cautioned against using small-wheeled suitcases as your go-to cabin bag when flying with budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air.
As per The Irish Star, technically, a normal airline allows one hand of baggage and then separate suitcases for check-in, but in the case of budget airlines, they do allow a small carry-on bag for free — but those small wheeled suitcases often don’t meet the size rules. This setback seems to be a major bummer, as that calls for an extra fee when a passenger checks in or at that boarding gate (with the excuse of an upgrade).
Chelsea told her followers, “Stop using suitcases as your small cabin bag. Staff see the wheels and assume it’s too big — and usually, they’re right.” She later also put her tip into practice by testing different bags in airline baggage sizers, revealing that most wheeled suitcases fail to cut.
Instead, she said that a soft backpack is a smart solution since these backpacks can compress and squeeze stuff in. Moreover, these bags would still not surpass the weight restrictions since they compress despite being packed. “There are a few suitcases that just fit, but backpacks are a safer bet,” Chelsea said.
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Meanwhile, several frequent flyers agreed, saying switching to a backpack helped them avoid extra fees and board without issues since budget airlines are strict with bag sizes. Moreover, after the pandemic, which reshaped the airline industry in several ways, reports reveal how the crisis impacted baggage systems and brought impressive changes.
Firstly, in 2020, fewer bags went missing because there were fewer flights and fewer transfers. It actually made baggage handling smoother and led to less chaos. Then now, most airports have high security leading to proper checks. Secondly, reports speculate that a new system called Bag Vision uses cameras and AI to track bags without needing a paper tag. It’s still being tested, but the results seem to be positive.
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In India, the DigiYatra app allows passengers to check in online and save the hassle of standing in queues and wasting time. The app’s biometric verification system ensures that only verified passengers proceed through checkpoints, enhancing general security. The app also eliminates paper wastage as online check-in does not require traditional paper boarding passes.
More airports are using self-service and mobile bag tags. The goal? Faster, smoother, and tension-free baggage handling for everyone. Therefore, next time you fly for your next holiday, you’ll know how to avoid the suitcase fee and save some bucks to enjoy an extra cocktail on your trip, maybe? (We really wish that for you!).
