The wait at the airport baggage carousel after landing can be excruciating, leaving you wondering if your bag has made it to your destination. Standing around for ages, waiting for your case to appear, can be frustrating.
However, a simple trick can ensure your suitcase is among the first to be taken off the plane, without incurring any additional costs. Hadleigh Diamond, Commercial Director at SCS Chauffeurs, shared that the company’s clients use this hack to get out of the airport efficiently, reports MirrorOnline. He said: “Clients regularly tell us that the difference between a good travel day and a stressful one often starts with baggage reclaim.
“If you’re standing waiting for 30 minutes while the carousel clunks out someone else’s bags, your trip can feel so much longer. But the fragile sticker trick is a game-changer – and it often works.
“We’ve heard this tip from both airport ground staff and frequent flyers. You don’t need to lie or explain – just politely ask the check-in agent to add a ‘fragile’ sticker to your suitcase. It’s not guaranteed, but more often than not, your bag is among the first out. We’ve seen it work time and time again.”
The trick works because airport ground staff usually load ‘fragile’ items last into the aircraft’s hold to prevent them from being squashed, and these are the first to be unloaded at the destination to avoid bearing heavy loads. While it won’t save you hours, those precious 20 minutes could mean extra time by the pool or arriving early enough to beat the rush at the hotel buffet.
For travellers on a tight schedule, considering hand luggage only fares could be beneficial. Airlines typically allow at least one free bag, but it’s crucial to check the size restrictions as they vary per airline.
For instance, Ryanair permits one free bag that must not exceed (40 x 20 x 25 cm) and should fit under the seat. easyJet has a similar policy where your carry-on bag – including the handle and wheels – must not exceed 56 x 25 x 45 cm.
If you wish to bring a larger bag or an additional one, you’ll need to pay extra.
In recent times, numerous people have attempted to outsmart the system. One passenger was lauded as a ‘genius’ after he discovered a smart packing hack that allowed him to fit 20kg of items into his hand luggage, avoiding any extra baggage fees on his Ryanair flight.
Others have resorted to tactics such as wearing all their clothes at once, or cramming clothes into a pillowcase to pass it off as a pillow, thereby not technically a bag.
However, airline staff are well aware of these tricks, so while you might get lucky if they turn a blind eye, if you get caught out you could end up paying substantial on-the-spot charges, which might be more than it would have cost you to add a second bag in the first place.