For Brits planning to take everything but the kitchen sink on holiday this summer, travelsupermarket.com is urging travellers to check their baggage allowance before flying to avoid getting caught out by hefty airline fines.
- Brits look to avoid fines for taking overweight baggage on holiday
- More than one in ten Brits prepared to only take hand luggage on flights
- Brits travel in heavy shoes, buy toiletries abroad and wear as many clothes as possible to avoid additional airline costs
With finances front of mind for Brits, 41 per cent of the population have already stated that they are more likely to check actual baggage weight and airline allowances before heading to the airport this year.
The research also reveals the lengths holidaymakers would go to in order to avoid getting fined for additional baggage weight. These include:
- Taking fewer clothes away with them (51 per cent)
- Packing heavy items in their hand luggage (35 per cent)
- Wearing their heaviest shoes on the plane (26 per cent)
- Buying toiletries once they’ve arrived at their destination (23 per cent)
- Packing items in their friend’s/partner’s suitcase (17 per cent)
- Wearing as many clothes as possible on the plane (13 per cent)
- Taking travel wash so clothes can be laundered throughout their holiday (13 per cent)
- Taking hand luggage only (11 per cent)
However, there are a few holidaymakers throwing caution to the wind and claiming that they don’t care how much they have to pay to take everything they need away with them. Compared to a national average of just three per cent who feel this way, people from the North East are particularly laid back about paying the excess charges – with eight per cent of those in the region claiming not to care about the extra cost. Interestingly, women are more prepared to take fewer clothes away than men (54 per cent compared to 48 per cent) to avoid being fined.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at travelsupermarket.com, commented: “I can’t stress enough how important it is for travellers to weigh their hold and hand luggage before they turn up at the airport to avoid a confrontation at the check in desk or gate. Many airlines have become much stricter about checking in overweight baggage, particularly in light of rising fuel costs. And many more are weighing hand luggage to ensure that people are complying with the rules they impose.
“Passengers taking hand luggage only also need to check the dimensions of their allowance; if their bag is too big they could face having it removed from them, then placed in the hold and charged for the privilege. If you know you need to take extra weight then, wherever possible, book this online before going to the airport. The charges are less and you will have an easier transit through the check in and bag drop procedures.
“If holidaymakers are unwilling to pay charges, they will have little choice but to leave items behind, getting their holiday off to a bad start. People hoping to take golf clubs and bulky sports equipment away with them need to pay particular attention to the small print which outlines what their baggage allowance is.”
Cost of Baggage – Based on Return Flight to Europe (Online Check In)
- Cost of Baggage – Based on Return Flight to Europe
