Shoppers pocket luggage charges

 

 

                                                   Shoppers pocket luggage charges

 

Budget flight passengers are picking the pockets of airlines thanks to a loophole in the baggage rules.

Passengers can pay dearly for going over the luggage weight limits, for instance BMI charges £10 per Kg, Thomson up to £15 per Kg and Ryanair £20 per kg, for excess baggage.

 

So rather paying that excess amount why not wear a large pocketed garment! Debenhams have seen sales rise of coats and jackets with multiple pockets by as much as 350% over the summer holiday period.

 

Carie Barkhuizen, spokeswoman for Debenhams, said: “Worn strategically, multi-pocket coats and trousers can offer up to 10 pockets to stow everything from spare pants and socks, to bikinis and sarongs. It’s traveling light like we have never seen before”.

Canny holidaymakers are taking advantage of this and using their free hand luggage allowance and “wearing” the rest of their baggage. Customers are now preferring to pack heavier items such as books, towels, electronic net books and cameras, into large pocketed garments, rather than pay fees up to £40 return.

 

As a result sales of Debenhams Rocha.John Rocha navy blue parka with six pockets have gone up by 350% and the beige Mantaray five pocket bomber jackets, which even have a discreet pocket in the sleeve, has seen sales jump by 200%. Debenhams Mantaray shower proof coat, with 7 pockets has also seen sales leap by 181%.

Personal finance guru Martin Lewis encourages people to make the most of allowances by ensuring “… you’re wearing your heaviest clothes, are multi-layered and your coat pockets are jammed with heavy items like books.”