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Traveler Wears 9 Lbs. of Clothing to Evade $85 Baggage Fee

Ever since I was 19, I have travelled to places like Hawaii, Australia, the former Czech Republic (now known as Czechia) Belgium, England, and a few other countries. I was so enthralled with assuming the identity of being a traveler, an adventurer, and someone willing to experience other cultures. Still, going to an airport is just a process of experiencing a system of open and hidden business transaction fees.

I was too naïve in my youth to appreciate that. Some airports charge you for the use of a luggage cart while it is free in others. Then there are the myriad of travel-related fees that are optional or mandatory to pay.  The most obvious example is paying for your cabin placement location. I have never paid for a first-class ticket in my life, I am ashamed to say. A first-class airline seat is about as real to me as a unicorn.

However, I do remember my treatment as opposed to people a row ahead of me in economy plus seats. You get what you pay for in life. Moreover, you can end up paying for a lot more if you walk into an airport or airline check-in without expressly knowing what they charge for. Many airlines have weight limits for baggage to save on fuel. You could be charged anywhere from $75 to $600, or more, in oversized and overweight baggage fees.

The average domestic airline ticket is about $400, while an international ticket is about $1,000. Additionally, the average American family pays about $4,800 to go on vacation. Over 75% of American take on debt averaging $1,100 to go on a trip. If you are unaware of mandatory service fees, it’ll cost you.

Fighting the Power

A 30-year-old British woman named Natalie Wynn found a creative, if, dangerously uncomfortable, way to dodge a $85 overweight baggage fee. She was about to take a flight on a Thomas Cook airline in Manchester, England when she was told that her luggage was 9 pounds over the luggage weight limit.  So, Wynn took out 9 pounds worth of clothing and put it on.

Wynn donned seven dresses, two shorts, a skirt, cardigan, and two pairs of shoes. After getting through customs and immigration, Wynn was allowed to repack the items once she boarded the plane. She said that she felt like she was, “boiling,” from the experience. Although Wynn survived the experience, she is lucky that she didn’t pass out or suffer from heatstroke. “I felt like I was going to pass out because it was so warm,” said Wynn.

She couldn’t pay the $85 fee because she only had $76 on her. “Because I had booked an all-inclusive holiday so was getting all my food and drink, I didn’t plan on bringing much money with me…I think I only had about €69 in my account just to bring with me on holiday.”

Check for Fee Because You Go

Airlines charge for checked bags, pet check-in, refreshments, and many other things. Charges will vary from carrier to carrier. Its always in your financial best interests to check beforehand.

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