UK Airlines

As airlines are getting stricter with their baggage restrictions, travellers are coming up with inventive ways to pack more while paying less – but there’s one trick experts are urging people not to risk doing

There are so many different travel ‘hacks’ circulating on social media – but experts urge travellers not to follow the viral pillowcase luggage trick as it’s not worth the risk.

Many of us are guilty of overpacking when going away, so it’s no wonder we’re always looking at ways to pack more and keep within the allowed size and weight limit for our luggage without paying more.

However the viral pillowcase hack, that sees travellers stuffing an empty pillowcase with extra clothes rather than bags when boarding a plane could come at a risk that experts advise people not to follow.

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As airlines become stricter on their hang luggage rules, Amanda Parker from Netflights has shared her thoughts. She said: “Passengers are cunningly avoiding these strict hand luggage limits and avoiding paying up to £150 in extra fees by taking advantage of an empty pillowcase.

“Travellers are using a standard pillowcase, removing the pillow inside, and instead using it as a secret storage compartment for extra clothes. Travellers rely on airlines not counting a pillow as an additional item when boarding, so by stuffing a standard pillowcase with soft clothing items like T-shirts and jumpers, they’re essentially creating a travel ‘pillow’ that they hope to sneak through.”

However the expert said “airlines are cracking down on sneaky flight hacks” and said you might want to think twice about testing this hack on your next flight.

“An overly stuffed pillowcase bursting with clothes can raise suspicion, and if you’re already boarding the plane with maximum baggage, then your pillow can be flagged as extra.” Amanda said what works for one airline may not for another as different airlines cabin baggage rules vary.

She added: “By risking the pillowcase hack, you could risk holding up the boarding process or being denied boarding entirely if you can’t pay the fee. Some low-cost airlines state that any item used to carry belongings, even if disguised, must be treated as luggage,” and advised before jetting off to always check the baggage allowance rules with the correct bags.

The expert said airlines issue fines for overweight baggage due to the fact that the heavier a plane is, the more fuel it burns. “So every kilogram of baggage increases the plane’s weight, which directly impacts fuel consumption.

“Since fuel is one of the biggest costs for airlines, they want to limit unnecessary weight, and charging for excess baggage is one way to do it.”

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Alesandra Dubin has flown business class with six airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic but her favourite is one you might never have heard of

For the majority of us, jetting off on holiday means squeezing into an economy seat. The luxury of Business Class is often just a pipe dream due to its hefty price tag.

Yet not all business class experiences are equal. Travel expert Alesandra Dubin has sampled the business class services from six top airlines and has singled out one as particularly exceptional.

Speaking to Business Insider, one of her favourites wasn’t one of the big guns like Etihad, British Airways or Virgin. Instead, it was Fiji Airways‘ business class service. She said: “Flight attendants were attentive from the start, offering pre-flight drinks and warm towels, and there was even complimentary WiFi, a rare perk.”

Following a scrumptious vegetarian meal, Alesandra managed something almost unheard of on long-haul flights – a solid seven hours of sleep.

She attributes this remarkable feat to the Airbus A350’s ultra-comfortable seats that fully recline. She elaborated: “The seat, with direct aisle access, a 17-inch screen, ample storage, and lie-flat recline, was super comfortable.”

Alesandra also enjoyed the novelty of watching the plane’s landing gear via external cameras displayed on her seat-back screen.

Although it was her first time flying business class with Fiji Airways, she expressed eagerness to repeat the experience.

British readers will be pleased to know that Alesandra also spoke highly of UK-based airline British Airways in her international travels.

She lauded the “exceptional” meals on board and was particularly impressed with the beverages, noting: “The wine selection was well-curated, and I opted for a glass of delicious port with my cheese plate.”

Although British Airways didn’t offer complimentary wifi, she considered the £20 charge for in-flight internet to be “fairly priced.”

Virgin Atlantic also received praise but fell slightly short in Alesandra’s view due to the food being “a bit less plentiful” than desired on a 10-hour journey, and the 22-inch seat felt somewhat snug and tricky to adjust.

However, she acknowledged that Virgin’s onboard bar area made it an excellent choice for larger groups flying together.

When it comes to domestic flights within the United States, the travel guru was unequivocal in her preference. She stated: “If you ask me, there’s no superior US airline to Delta, and the competition doesn’t even come close.”

In her opinion, Delta One, which is marketed as business class, actually rivals first-class offerings with its private mini-cabins.

Delta’s perks include free wifi and lie-flat seats that are not only extremely comfortable but also simpler to adjust than those on Virgin, despite being slightly narrower.

Following an exclusive transfer from her plane to a connecting flight via Porsche, Alesandra expressed that Delta’s VIP treatment solidified its position as her top airline choice.

With plans to expand even further, Heathrow Airport has proposed an expansion, but it will be at the cost of the passengers as ticket prices are set to rise to cover the cost

Heathrow Airport has announced plans for a huge expansion – at the cost of their passengers. Heathrow’s latest business plan suggests that the airport is to take on a further £8bn of debt, leaving their passengers to pay for terminal upgrades in a bid to accommodate an additional 10 million passengers annually by 2031, contingent on an increase in airline fees.

The proposed 10 million passenger increase represents a 12 per cent rise on current numbers, and to do this the airport is exploring the option to raise the average charge per passenger from the current £28.46 to £33.26.

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Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport, and has been under plans from the government for a long-term vision of a new runway – which isn’t anticipated to be operational until 2035 at the earliest. So this new proposal offers a quicker route and was submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday, detailing upgrades to existing terminals as a means to boost capacity.

Now the CAA is set to review the plans, but it comes after the airport is currently under fire for already being too expensive. Heathrow has reportedly been facing claims from airlines for being one of the world’s most expensive, and have urged the regulator to reduce the charges already

IAG, the parent group of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways, the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee (AOC) and the Arora hotel group have joined together in a coordinated attack on the airport’s regulatory regime.

They hope to “conduct an urgent and fundamental review into the way in which Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport and the largest in Europe, is regulated, for the benefit of consumers, businesses and the UK economy,” as reported by the Independent.

“Heathrow has become the world’s most expensive airport, with passengers and airlines today paying £1.1bn more each year than if charges were in line with equivalent major European airports,” the partners said in a statement. However, Heathrow argue that this investment will make expansion more affordable and less disruptive.

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said in a letter to the Transport Select Committee: “One factor is that the airport’s small physical footprint means a lot of our infrastructure has to be underground or built in a unique way, increasing the cost.

“We are also the busiest two-runway airport in the world, meaning the intensity of our operating environment is comparatively more complex and makes it much harder to make targeted improvements and investment while remaining operational.”

Paul McGuinness (Chair, No 3rd Runway Coalition) said: “The astonishing detail in Heathrow’s Five Year Plan is that only £2bn is of its £10bn cost will be funded by shareholder equity; so adding a further £8bn of debt to Heathrow’s current £20bn of arrears.”

He continued: “Heathrow’s business plans shows their determination to grow irrespective of whether or not expansion takes place. The fact that 80% of this investment will be financed through debt reveals a continuation of a strategy to sweat their assets to their limit which brings with it associated risks and higher costs which will no doubt be passed onto passengers.”

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Following a dispute a Ryanair passenger had with the airline when he asked to give up their place on the flight, a travel expert has offered detail on how such airlines exploit loopholes

Greedy airlines can legally “bump” passengers – move them onto other services without their permission – when they overbook flights, a travel expert has warned.

Passengers are not guaranteed a seat even when they book one, the professional confirmed, following recent disputes around the practice. One Ryanair passenger was moved onto another flight after the airline switched planes from a Boeing 737-8200 to a 737-800, which has eight less seats.

But Scott McCormick and his girlfriend Helena Boshwick, from Birmingham, “hadn’t reserved seats” for the two-hour trip to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, something travel expert Rory Boland recommends. However, he added airlines passengers are not guaranteed a seat even when they book one.

Mr Boland, travel editor at consumer group Which?, said: “Sometimes a last minute change of aircraft might mean less seats available than planned for, in other cases some airlines actively overbook, betting on ‘no shows’ to balance things out, while maxing their profits by charging for more seats than the plane can actually accommodate. If an airline ends up with too many people at the gate, it can’t just bump someone from the flight because they didn’t pay extra to reserve a specific seat.”

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Speaking to Mail Online, he continued: “So long as the flight is either departing the UK, or flying into the UK on a UK or EU based airline, the airline is legally obliged to ask for volunteers before resorting to forcibly denying boarding.

“If you volunteer then you surrender your right to statutory compensation, so you should make sure you’re happy with the amount you negotiate – at a minimum be sure to get at least get the amount you would be owed if the flight was cancelled – which would be up to £520 each for a long-haul flight, or less for a short-haul journey.

“If there are no volunteers, only then an airline can choose to deny a passenger boarding. Anyone who is bumped from a plane should have their flight rebooked as quickly as possible, and be paid cancellation compensation.”

Those who volunteer to be bumped on a flight must agree compensation with the airline, which will often make an announcement at the gate offering cash or vouchers. Passengers in such cases are also entitled to an alternative flight or a refund.

Mr McCormick and Miss Boshwick, both 33, did not book seats, it is understood, because they did not mind sitting apart on the two-hour flight. Because of this, Mr McCormick and Miss Boshwick were each assigned a random seat free of charge upon checking in, which they did online before departure.

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Responding in relation to the couple’s complaint, a Ryanair spokesman said: “This flight from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca (May 1) was not ‘overbooked’ – it was scheduled to operate on a 737-8200 (197 seats) but for operational reasons had to be swapped to a 737-800 aircraft (189 seats).

“As a result, 1 passenger was unable to travel on this flight, and was reaccommodated onto the next available flight to Palma de Mallorca.

“Mr McCormick’s travel companion was not refused boarding but chose not to board and travel on this flight from Birmingham to Palma de Mallorca and was required to pay a Missed Departure fee (£100) to be booked onto the next available flight.

“Mr McCormick was notified by email on the day of travel (May 1) that he was entitled to claim back reasonable receipted expenses, however Mr McCormick has yet to submit any expense receipts to Ryanair.”