A pair of travellers went to extreme lengths to avoid paying Jetstar’s extra baggage fee after their carry-on suitcases exceeded the limit.
Ebony and her sister Ellie were travelling from Queensland to NSW with the budget airline when they were hit with a $170 fee at the gate for exceeding the 7kg carry-on limit by just a few hundred grams.
‘We had to pay $170 on the way to our destination for overweight bags, which cost us more than the flight ticket,’ Ebony told Daily Mail.
‘The staff wouldn’t let us jig around our bags and made us pay.’
Before boarding their return flight, the girls didn’t want to make the same mistake again, so they wore multiple layers of their clothing to reduce the weight of their luggage.
Taking matters into their own hands, the sisters were seen putting on multiple pairs of pants, jumpers, and jackets in the airport bathroom.
The pair laughed as they began stuffing toiletries into their pockets.
‘POV: Jetstar gets their scales out at the gate,’ Ebony joked in the caption of her video.
Ebony and her sister Ellie went to extreme lengths to avoid paying Jetstar’s baggage fee when their carry-on suitcases exceeded the limit
Fortunately for the girls, their plan worked as they boarded their flight without paying a cent in extra baggage fees.
‘On our way back, we didn’t have to pay – yay,’ Ebony told Daily Mail.
As soon as they got to their seats, the girls took off all the layers and packed them into their carry-on suitcases.
‘We made it on the plane without paying extra – thank God,’ she said.
Jetstar advises that passengers who arrive at the boarding gate with excess carry-on baggage must either pay the fee, which will result in their bag being checked in, or buy additional carry-on allowance at the gate to take up to 14kg onboard.
‘We’re famous for our incredibly low fares – from just $29 last year – which all include up to seven kilograms of carry-on baggage,’ a Jetstar spokesman told Daily Mail.
‘Customers can pre-purchase a further seven kilograms of carry-on allowance if they need it, providing a total of 14 kilograms.
‘Before reaching the flight gate, it is cheaper for customers to pre-purchase additional carry-on allowance or checked baggage at our website.
‘Cabin baggage limits are designed to ensure a smooth boarding process, enough room to safely and comfortably stow all items, and the correct aircraft weight and balance for take-off.
‘We know cabin baggage rules, particularly weight limits and gate weighing, can be frustrating for customers. This is why we are currently reviewing our cabin baggage policy with a focus on how we can improve the boarding experience.’
Jetstar’s cabin baggage policy allows customers to bring two carry-on items with a combined weight limit, helping to manage cabin space and aircraft weight safely.
Compliance with these limits is critical for aircraft safety, weight and balance, overhead locker availability and efficient boarding.
Taking matters into their own hands, the sisters were seen putting on multiple pairs of pants, jumpers, and jackets in the airport bathroom
Ebony’s video has been viewed more than 185,000 times – with many confessing they’ve all done the same thing when flying with budget airlines.
‘The day we did this, they let us walk straight through without weighing,’ one said.
‘I’ve done this before and I looked huge and I couldn’t walk properly – I even had shoes in pockets,’ another shared.
‘I did this once and it was the only time they didn’t weigh my bag,’ one revealed.
‘OMG! I had to do this the other day,’ another added, laughing.
Others found the sisters’ ‘relatable’ trick amusing, with some even calling it ‘amazing’.
‘This honestly makes me feel seen everyday,’ one said, laughing.
‘You girls are too funny,’ another added.
Meanwhile, many shared their own ‘sneaky’ tricks for getting away without paying for overweight luggage.
Ebony and her sister Ellie were travelling from Queensland to NSW when they were hit with a $170 fee at the boarding gate for exceeding the 7kg carry-on limit by just a few hundred grams
‘I used to use a toiletry bag with a hook and hang it down my back under a jacket,’ one shared.
‘I cried my way out of it the last time I got caught,’ another revealed, laughing.
‘Got caught once and my ninth grade theatre skills came out. I burst into tears and said that a close family friend had died and that I had booked last minute tickets… made them so uncomfortable I got through no issue with overweight bags,’ one said.
‘I take an empty pillow case. Worse case, shove (things) in that,’ another spilled.
However, not everyone was confident enough to do so, with one revealing: ‘I got so anxious over this the other day, I threw out two pairs of shoes.’
Unfortunately for some, they weren’t so lucky.
‘I have been personally victimised by this… cost me $70 – no one warned me,’ one traveller revealed.
‘They are so cruel,’ another shared, along with a crying emoji.
