Travel social media was taken over by the ‘pillow case trick’ for bringing more stuff onto a plane than you’re technically allowed. For one passenger, using this trick meant he missed his flight – and could have been banned by the airline.
Not all airlines let you bring a carry-on bag onboard the plane. If you’re flying ultra low cost carriers like Spirit Airlines or Frontier they charge extra for that. If you’re flying on United’s cheapest tickets it isn’t allowed at all.
To bring more things on board than you’re allowed to, or to save on fees, some passengers have been known to turn themselves into a human suitcase by wearing a SCOTTeVEST. Backpackers for years have stuffed their clothes into pillow cases to make pillows to sleep on.
Here’s an example of the updated version of this trick, the “pillow case hack” where you use it as an extra carry-on bag. Just stuff all your items inside, instead of using it for a pillow. The overpacked pillow just takes all of the extra clothes you can’t fit within your carry-on allowance.
@lequeefthief if you have less clothes i think an empty neck pillow would be easier
The idea of the pillow case is that it understands the psychology people bring to the rules. A pillow isn’t going to go into the overhead bin (where a carry-on bag belongs) or under the seat (which is for your personal item). A pillow is for resting your head, so it stays at your seat. Of course if everyone did this, it would become so obvious that it wouldn’t work anymore.
And that seems to be what happened.
“Stop letting these sites, social media, give you tips and tricks because sometimes it’s not gonna work,” according to a video seen well over a million times.
A Frontier Airlines passenger brought a pillow stuffed with clothes, and the gate agent knew exactly what he was trying to do. They offered that he could pay for his carry-on (at the highest rate possible at the gate) and board – or miss the flight.
He didn’t want to pay, and he tried not to. Eventually the boarding doors closed. He’d missed the flight. Gate agents weren’t bluffing, “We gave you your chance, and you didn’t pay for it.” He tries to force his way onto the plane arguing with airline staff, but police arrived.
@natashaorganic Stop listening to the internet #airline #travelhacks #pillow #frontier #mco #orlando ♬ original sound – natashaorganic
At the end of the day, saving money with the pillow case trick is now too obvious – and on an airline like Frontier that charges extra to for a carry on at the gate, clearly not worth it.
Pro tip: if you find a hack that works or a crack in the system, keep your mouth shut about it. Once it becomes widely known, it gets shut down.
But then again, those spreading the information only care about clicks and engagement.
After reading about it, I actually bought a few small zippered pillowcases. I didn’t want to carry extra stuff but I wanted a substantial pillow for my lower back to keep it from aching in the seats that bend it wrong. I put the change of clothes that I had in my carry on in it. It was in my carry on during check in and during security check. I took it out before boarding and hand carried it. It worked great on my flights from LAX to ICN and ICN to PNH.
Hey,
Leave MyPillow out of this. It is a piece of crap and harmless unless eaten.
Someone always has to cheat the system
They should have guards permanently stationed at Frontier/Spirit counters.
This happened in Florida, of course.
I’m becoming very tired of people trying to “hack” their way through life.