Passenger reveals hack to bring luggage onto flight without paying for it – but not everyone is convinced it works
A PASSENGER has revealed a hack they use to get around excess baggage fees, but not everyone is convinced.
Having to pay extra to bring the luggage they want onto a flight is one of the biggest bugbears of travellers everywhere.
However, there are ways around paying excess baggage fees, if you're clever.
One passenger thought they had come up with a method to get around Ryanair's luggage rules, by using the airline's cheap ticket prices.
In a post on Reddit they suggested paying £7.45 for an extra ticket for their flight, instead of the £25 it would've cost for check-in luggage.
They could then, theoretically, put their backpack on the spare seat and avoid having to put the luggage in the hold.
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They wrote: "I saw a Ryanair flight I want to take in Europe for 9 USD (£7.45).
"I will be with a 48L backpack so I will surely have to pay the extra baggage.
"But this extra backpack costs 30 USD (£25). Can I just buy a ticket for my backpack? Will that work?"
However, not everyone was certain it would be successful.
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One wrote: "I'm amazed Ryanair would allow this, given their pricing model of cheap seats and fleecing you on the baggage."
A second added: "Shouldn't work since, for security, you're not allowed to have luggage on the seat during take off and landing."
A flight attendant also weighed in on the matter and said that only items that are too big for the overheads, but too delicate for the hold, are placed on extra seats.
They said: "Sorry but the baggage must go in the luggage compartments and should follow the weight and dimensions limit.
"The 'extra seat item' is only reserved for musical instruments that cannot be placed in the usual luggage compartments."
However, others suggested that the passenger might be able to get away with it.
They wrote: "Almost all airlines allow this and Ryanair also allows this with caveats.
"The first and last name of the extra seat must be exactly according to the standards of the airline. It's usually 'EXTRA ITEM SEAT'.
"You may be required to declare the weight of your baggage occupying the seat."
The Ryanair website seems to suggest that extra seats can be purchased by passengers in some situations.
It states: "Extra seats can be purchased for comfort.
"The extra seat should be entered as COMFORT SEAT as the Last Name and EXTRA as the first Name."
However, it seems to suggest that seats can't be bought for luggage.
It continues: "There is no cabin or checked baggage allowance associated with the purchase of an extra seat."
Sun Online Travel contacted Ryanair for clarification.
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Meanwhile, another passenger revealed the perfect bag to use when flying with Ryanair to avoid excess baggage fees.
But Ryanair joked it will start charging people for trying Tiktok hacks to get around the luggage costs.
