Charges for hand luggage are likely to become more and more widespread. Hungarian airline Wizz Air has recently become the first to adopt this policy on a trial basis, although it is almost certain that this will become a permanent fixture in their company policy, as well as many others. Here, you will find a helpful guide, with tips on how to avoid both existing and impending hand luggage charges.
Pack Light
The airlines that have introduced this new rule state that this measure is only to discourage people from bringing large, bulky baggage on board the aircraft. This means that small bags that can fit underneath the seat in front of you are still allowed to take hand luggage onto the aeroplane for free. Wizz Air regulation says the bag should be no bigger than 25x56x45cm, which means that if you want to take personal belongings into the cabin you had better make sure you only take the essentials. Travel documents, reading material and a small snack should be the only things you’ll need.
Maximise Your Packing
Maximising the space in your suitcase is a good way to avoid large baggage charges, as you won’t have to put masses of excess clothes into your hand luggage. Improper packing is the primary reason for people having to take clothes, shoes or appliances onto the plane with them, which is why it is important to maximise space and be a little creative. One way to save space innovatively is by stuffing smaller items inside shoes and socks. Another way to maximise space is by rolling up clothes. A rolled up t-shirt, for instance, will take up far less space than one that is simply folded. By following these quick and easy space saving tips, you will have less things to take in your hand luggage and are therefore far less likely to incur airline charges.
Be Versatile
As I have hinted above, taking too many clothes can result in the need to store some of them in your hand luggage. Whilst that may be perfectly fine for some, who like to use their time abroad to show off all their new purchases, those of you who are budget conscious will not share the same mindset. This is why packing versatile, wearable clothing is a great way to minimise your amount of luggage. Things like jeans and clothes with neutral colours are great in this regard, as they can be used both in the daytime and the night time. Using space saving tactics such as these is a great way of preventing a bulging suitcase and the necessity for clothes to go into carry-on luggage.
More and more airlines are inserting additional charges into their customer policies for things that would have been completely free just a few years ago. However, if you do some research, insert a little effort and use a bit of creativity, you can outsmart the airlines and get around there exorbitant charging fees.
This guest blog was brought to you by Steph, a lover of travel blogging! She writes on behalf of MF Airport Parking who provide cheap parking spaces at all of the UK’s major airports.
