Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Wearing Your Bags on Board

It’s always been said that necessity is the mother of invention. And when it comes to more and more airline rules that don’t seem to benefit us in any way, there are now more inventions to circumvent some of those rules and that may in fact save you money.

Of course, I’m talking about checked baggage fees and excess weight fees. A growing number of airline passengers are trying to avoid paying not just for checked bags but on some low-cost carriers, they’re trying to avoid paying for carry-on bags and are simply wearing their bags on board. They’re wearing them in the form of the layered look as well as ingeniously designed but not necessarily fashionable, multi-pocketed jackets and coats.

More and more travelers are wearing two and three t-shirts, two pairs of socks, a sweatshirt and fleece. And then, there are the jacket and coats — new products designed with between eight and twelve separate zippered pockets to carry everything else.The investment made for a new coat or jacket can pay for itself after about three flights.

Yes, you may look like the Michelin tire man when boarding, but the fashion statement is clear — it’s about avoiding either a carry-on charge or a weight limit on carry-ons, and that money can add up. There’s dress for success. But in this case, it’s dress for excess or to avoid it.

By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com

For more on baggage, check out: 

Behind the Scenes with Baggage Battles

The Truth About Airline Baggage Sizers

How to Fit it All in One Bag