A savvy traveller from the Midlands has gone viral after sharing his ingenious trick to bypass Ryanair's strict baggage rules, potentially saving passengers from hefty extra fees at the airport.
How the trick works
Rob Adcock, from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, regularly shares budget-conscious travel tips with his online followers. In a clip that has garnered over 2.4 million views, he demonstrates how he squeezed 20kg of luggage onto a £15 Ryanair flight without paying a penny extra. His secret: a vacuum pack machine that compresses clothes to a fraction of their original size.
Holding up his squashed clothing, Rob laughs and says: "Look at it." He then stuffs the vacuum-packed bundles into his rucksack, which is allowed as a free carry-on item, and boards the plane without paying any hold luggage fees.
Reaction from fellow travellers
The video is captioned: "POV: You've vacuum-packed all your suitcase to fit into a free Ryanair bag so you don't have to pay for the hold luggage." Besides saving money, the trick avoids the long wait at the baggage carousel upon arrival.
Many viewers found the hack hilarious, with one calling it the "packing cube final boss." However, sceptics pointed out potential drawbacks. One commenter asked: "How are you supposed to vacuum it back up before going back on the plane when going home?" Another noted: "Vacuum packed stuff is HEAVY," adding laughing emojis. A female traveller highlighted that the approach leaves garments "creased," which may not suit those wanting to look presentable on holiday.
Risks involved
There is also the risk of being caught by Ryanair staff. One TikTok user shared: "Literally saw someone get caught doing this in Budapest today. It didn't end well." Ryanair imposes a 10kg limit on cabin luggage, and being caught at the weighing scales could result in additional charges. For this passenger, however, the gamble paid off.
