Small is beautiful when it comes to holiday baggage
As airlines impose ever more rigid charges on checked bags, growing numbers of travellers are seeking ways of cutting costs on unwieldy weight restrictions. Here’s how to hone your hold-all and avoid any nasty surprises at check-in.
Know before you go
Economy class baggage allowances vary wildly from airline to airline, so check your airline’s website before you travel. In terms of kgs, you could be looking at anywhere between a frugal no-frills 15 to a thoughtful 30.
Read the small print
Is your baggage allowance per bag or per body? If you are lucky your airline may let you spread the weight between you, but most will not. Airlines may have an upper limit, so even if you want to pay, they will still say nay.
Weigh before you pay.
Invest in some weighing scales to gauge the beefiness of your baggage.
Look at your luggage.
You have lowered your luggage from the loft but something’s amiss – according to the scales you have reached your baggage limit but you haven’t started packing yet. Is it time to upgrade from that 1920’s trunk?
Handy
If you are going on a short trip, why not forget the hold? Evade unwelcome charges by maxing out your hand baggage allowance, which can often be fairly generous.
Pint-sized paraphernalia.
A quick search online reveals that there are some excellent lightweight suitcases on the market. Choose a well-established brand, treat yourself to a compact, yet durable suitcase and you will see why nicest things come in small packages.
Selecting your suitcase
Does it do what it says on the tin?
The lighter your baggage, the more you can pack, so do your homework. Remember that a case weighing much over 3kg is no lightweight.
Case the joint.
Soft-sided shells like nylon or Cordura weigh less and can be just as durable as harder materials. If you want the strength of a hard-sided suitcase, choose a rigid plastic like ABS or polycarbonate.
Flexible friends.
Choose malleable materials such as aluminium, fibreglass or graphite – your bag will keep its shape and offer excellent support.
Extras.
The features you choose will affect the weight of your luggage. Alloy wheels may be best left on your car. Beware of expandability – one too many secret pockets and you will be on the slippery slope to overpacking.
State your case then pack light for your flight:
Take your pick - lay your chosen items out on the bed, alongside your new lightweight suitcase. Now get real and slash this number by at least half.
Bin the bulk – choose items and colours that you can mix and match. Replace cable knit cardies with floatier fabrics, and select microfibres and layers for warmth.
Roll with it – roll clothes into cylinders and then into plastic bags, packing them snugly into your luggage.
Make mini your mantra – sample sized items are in, bumper family packs are out.
Lose the shoes – believe and trust in the truth: you will not need five pairs of shoes a day.
So lighten the load and enjoy trouble free travel today.