A savvy traveller has shared a clever packing hack to beat Ryanair’s baggage allowance fees on a £15 flight — but it comes with risks if you’re caught at the airport
You may not get away with it at the airport (Stock Image)(Image: Dmitri Zelenevski via Getty Images)
A clever traveller has taken the internet by storm after unveiling his ingenious trick to outsmart Ryanair’s notoriously rigid baggage rules, which frequently leave holidaymakers shelling out extra cash at the airport.
Rob Adcock, from Stoke-on-Trent, who regularly dishes out budget-conscious travel tips to his online following, has gone viral with his latest scheme to dodge luggage charges on a £15 Ryanair flight — a move that could save passengers a tidy sum given the airline’s hefty fees for additional bags.
In a clip that which now racked up over 2.4 million views from cost-conscious travellers, Rob shows how he managed to squeeze 20kg of luggage aboard without spending a single penny extra, by using a vacuum pack machine to compress his clothes down to a fraction of their original size.
With a laugh, he holds up his squashed clothing and quips: “Look at it.”
He then carefully stuffs the vacuum-packed bundles into his rucksack, which is allowed on board as a complimentary carry-on item, and breezes onto the plane without forking out a penny in hold luggage fees.
The video is captioned “POV: You’ve vacuum-packed all your suitcase to fit into a free Ryanair bag so you don’t have to pay for the hold luggage.”
As well as being a crafty way to sidestep additional costs, it carries the welcome bonus of avoiding the often frustratingly long wait at the baggage carousel on arrival.
Scores of fellow travellers found the cheeky wheeze hilarious, with one crowning it the “packing cube final boss”. However, sceptics pointed out potential drawbacks.
One baffled commenter questioned: “How are you supposed to vacuum it back up before going back on the plane when going home?”
A second chipped in with a laugh: “Vacuum packed stuff is HEAVY,” alongside a pair of laughing emojis.
Meanwhile, one female traveller highlighted the disadvantage that this approach would leave garments “creased” — hardly perfect for anyone wanting to look presentable on their break.
What’s more, you do risk being spotted by Ryanair staff at the airport.
One TikTok user shared: “Literally saw someone get caught doing this in Budapest today. It didn’t end well.”
Ryanair imposes a 10kg restriction on cabin luggage, and being caught out at the weighing scales could result in forking out additional charges for your trip.
It’s a risk that might not always work out — but for this passenger, it proved a success!