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A resourceful passenger discovered a novel method to bypass Ryanair’s luggage fees by fashioning a faux pregnancy bump.
Clever Traveler Sidesteps Ryanair Baggage Fees with Fake Pregnancy Bump
Grace Hale, aiming to circumvent extra charges, ingeniously concealed two jackets and a makeup bag beneath her clothing when she realised they exceeded her cabin baggage allowance.
Viral TikTok Exposes Baggage Fee Evasion Tactic
In a widely viewed TikTok video playfully captioned ‘It’s a boy and we’re naming him Ryan,’ the 20-year-old documented her ‘pregnancy’ subterfuge while journeying from London Stansted Airport to Edinburgh.
The footage captured Hale padding her stomach to simulate a baby bump after passing through airport security, donning a trench coat to complete the illusion.
Elaborate Ruse and Quick Thinking Under Pressure
The business studies student, based in London and originally from Dallas, Texas, even devised a plausible backstory should airline personnel question her.
Hale explained, ‘Ryanair’s fees for baggage are incredibly steep, so I typically opt for the complimentary carry-on and attempt to fit everything within it.’
‘I tend to pack extensively, even for brief excursions. We were pressed for time, and our departure was very early.’
Grace Hale, 20, ingeniously evaded Ryanair’s ‘excessive’ baggage fees by creating a fake pregnancy bump using two jackets and a makeup bag
After navigating security at Stansted Airport, London, en route to Edinburgh, she concealed the items under her coat
‘During the train ride to the airport, I was hastily packing and then it dawned on me that the jackets and cosmetics would not fit.’
‘My immediate thought was to feign pregnancy. What could they possibly say?’
‘I rehearsed in the train station, positioning the makeup bag under my top and securing the jackets around it to prevent any accidental exposure, which would have been mortifying.’
Commitment to the Act: Research and Reassurance
Hale asserted that airline staff even inquired about her due date, a scenario she had anticipated through prior research.
She recounted, ‘It was quite amusing. I researched gestational bump appearances across different months and determined an appropriate stage.’
‘I settled on 26 weeks, fortuitously, as a medical certificate is required from 28 weeks onwards.’
‘When asked about my stage of pregnancy, knowing this detail was crucial to avoid needing flight clearance.’
The resourceful student even fabricated a narrative, claiming to be 26 weeks pregnant, in case of staff interrogation
Repeat Offender in the Making?
Grace maintained the guise until disembarking in Edinburgh and indicated her intention to reuse the travel ‘hack’.
She commented, ‘Given Ryanair’s exorbitant baggage costs, expect to see a surge in ‘pregnant’ passengers.’
Online Acclaim for Traveler’s Creativity
Online commentators responded to her widely circulated video, which amassed over 35,000 views, commending Hale’s inventive approach.
One user lauded it as a ‘remarkably clever idea,’ while another hailed it as ‘pure genius’.
Ryanair Yet to Respond
Requests for comment have been directed to Ryanair.