The measure, announced in January, sparked numerous comments. Since Wednesday, the airline Transavia makes you pay baggage carried in the cabin, as well as that left in the hold. The low-cost operator of the Air France-KLM group thus imitates the pricing policy of its competitors (Ryanair, EasyJet, Volotea, etc.) who had already made this choice in order to increase the punctuality and profitability of their flights. For passengers of these brands, traveling with cabin baggage costs a minimum of 9 euros one way but, depending on the destination and the day of reservation, the additional cost can easily climb to several tens of euros. Only the handbag (or small backpack) remains tolerated free of charge. How can we not spend more in these conditions? What if you decided to travel without luggage? Here are six tips to meet the challenge.
Travel light and organized
The first tip, which is also the most obvious, is minimalism. We travel light, we only take the bare minimum, so that the few selected items can fit into hand luggage of the authorized dimensions (40x30x20 cm). So forget books, games and accessories to concentrate on the essential: your clothes, knowing that anything that is not safe to wear will have to be discarded. A good folding technique will help you save space, lots of advice on this subject is offered on blogs and social networks. Other techniques: use packing cubes or an air vacuum bag to optimize space 100%. As for toiletries, purchasing them at the vacation spot and then sharing with your travel companions is recommended.
Invest in a multi-pocket jacket
To reduce the cost of your plane tickets, several companies (Stuffa, Scottevest, Jacktogo, Rufus Roo, etc.) suggest investing in a clothing solution: the multi-pocket jacket, also known as a suitcase jacket. This astonishing outfit, which must be worn to enter the aircraft, has the originality of offering a large number of storage spaces allowing objects and, in particular, clothing to be stuffed relatively discreetly. Something to carry with you at least 5 kg, some brands announcing a capacity of 15 kg. Some models of jackets can be transformed into hand luggage. Allow on average around a hundred euros for the purchase. More for a slightly elegant design. With the same objective, and if you are not too keen on your look, it is also possible tobuy a fisherman’s vest, also stuffed with small pockets. When asked, Transavia specified that, like any personal item, the multi-pocket jacket is permitted on board, provided it is “kept with you”.
Put on all your clothes
The trick seems a bit stupid, especially if you’re sensitive to heatstroke. Rather than paying for cabin baggage for a few clothes, why not layer them on you? Yes, it’s possible, several testimonials on social networks attest to this. The most efficient ones will manage to put up to six layers of clothing on top of each other. Like Joey wearing all of Chandler’s clothes In Friends, difficult to be comfortable, or even to move around, with such equipment. Transavia concedes that the process is authorized on its flights, “but our ground agents and border police could find it suspicious”, specifies the company. In Australia, Jetstar Airways last year imposed a fine of around 60 euros on two Australian women who had resorted to this ploy.
Ship your luggage to your destination
This tip requires a lot of organization but provides the advantage of not having to carry a single suitcase at the airport or on urban transport. So the idea is to ship your travel items as if you were sending a package to someone. Once at your destination, you collect it from your accommodation address or collect it from a relay point. A 15 kg Colissimo sent to a home in France will cost you, for example, less than 30 euros. To ensure that the operation is profitable compared to the additional cost of cabin baggage, parcel comparators (Upela, Packlink, Boxtal, Colismoinscher, Tarifs-colis. com, etc.) help you choose the least expensive operator, including internationally. A good plan may also be to use parcel transport between individuals. Several companies, such as Waytohome, Livre à ton neighbor, Cocolis, Shop2shop or Bring4you, specialize in this service. Disadvantage: the destination of choice will not necessarily be served.
Move with your pillow
This is one of the TikTok tips that have created the buzz in recent months, reaching tens of millions of views. The concept ? Equip yourself with a fairly thick and rigid cover or pillowcase. Fill it with your previously rolled clothes to give the illusion of a classic travel cushion. And voila, you can enter the plane with the pillow under your arm and even use it to rest. At least for those who managed to pass boarding control in this way. What do the airlines think? “The pillow is considered hand luggage and must therefore respect the imposed dimensions (40x30x20cm),” replies Transavia. It is therefore better to choose a pillowcase that is not too large and not combine it with a handbag, at the risk of being forced to unload before boarding.
Transfer your luggage via Vinted or Leboncoin
Here’s another tip that made the buzz on social networks. It consists of transporting your suitcase to your vacation spot by taking advantage of the delivery facilities offered by certain online sales platforms. To do this, you must create a sales announcement with a second account or that of a loved one, place an order, then send the package to a relay point close to its future accommodation. Thanks to commercial agreements with carriers, delivery costs from sites like Vinted or Leboncoin are indeed very attractive.
But this technique, which went viral after the TikTok video of a Spanish woman, is prohibited, Vinted reported to Parisian. The items offered for sale on the famous platform must in fact be sold separately and not combined in the same container. Additionally, it is against the policy to “post or post items that are not for sale.” You have been warned.