I have decided this is the way to get around the new rules that come into force at Wizz Air tomorrow. As readers will know from all the publicity late last month, this airline is introducing a £9 charge for that carry a larger bag as cabin luggage.
Part of the interest is not just because one small airline that doesn’t even carry many passengers into or out of the UK is charging for this, it’s because other airlines may follow suit. And if it is successful they will. The airline says that it is a way to encourage people to carry less which will reduce the problems that every airline passenger knows about – finding overhead luggage space.
Wizz Air says that it will save money as well – a fuel saving? – and it is rebating half of the charge back to passengers in the form of reduced fares.
The cynic in me says that the fares will increase soon to some other reason; you know the sort of thing, fuel surcharges, increased landing fees, pay rises for sparrow-hawks to keep birds away from flight paths etc. The reason that we try to take so much as cabin luggage is because we get charged for putting it in the hold. Now it could be that are going to be caught both ways.
But I have a solution.
One of those overcoats beloved of spiv’s, Flash Harry types and Harpo Marx. The lining had dozens of pockets where anything could be found including – in Harpo’s case- a stepladder. A couple of years ago, Vince Graff wrote a story in the Daily Mail about a jacket he found which enabled him to “wear” a laptop, lots of clothes and all his other things. The other answer is to do what I did when I left Australia to return here one time. I wore a vest, shirt, waistcoat, jumper, jacket, overcoat and raincoat since I couldn’t get them in my luggage.
Beating the system is hot work. But it makes you feel so good to have put one over them!