A woman has shared how she gets around Ryanair’s baggage rules by ‘gaslighting’ staff into thinking she only has one small bag – but some have questioned whether it will work

We’ve all been there: you spot an unbelievably cheap flight, click “book,” and congratulate yourself on bagging the travel deal of the century. But then the reality sets in.

By the time you’ve navigated the seat selection fees, the travel insurance pop-ups, the priority boarding upgrades, and the taxes that somehow double the base fare, that “budget” ticket isn’t looking like such a bargain anymore.

Then the ultimate kick in the teeth? Getting slapped with an eye-watering excess baggage fee right at the check-in desk.

Ryanair is notorious for its strict add-on charges – and its luggage rules can quickly turn a cheap getaway into a pricey ordeal. The budget airline’s guidelines clearly state that passengers are allowed only one complimentary small personal bag on board.

If you want a bigger cabin bag or a checked suitcase, you have to cough up. Your free bag must fit beneath the seat in front of you, and anyone who has flown with Ryanair knows their ground staff enforce these rules rigorously!

Thankfully, one savvy holidaymaker has revealed her top tips for tricking airline staff into thinking she’s flying light – while secretly smuggling a massive haul onto the plane.

Taking to social media, Dannika Harrison shared a video of her packing process, cheekily captioning it: “Ready to gaslight Ryanair that I definitely only have one small under-seat bag.” She even joked in the description: “Ryanair, if you’re seeing this, no, you aren’t.”

So here are three sneaky tricks she uses to bypass the strict regulations without getting caught:

1. Pick a “Tardis” Bag

Dannika relies on a roomy crossbody bag—similar to the viral Uniqlo crescent design – that holds far more than you’d think possible. Once she has crammed it full, she uses the bag’s straps to clip on extra bulky items, like a baseball cap, to save precious packing space.

2. The Jacket Disguise

To hide the bulging crossbody bag, Dannika simply throws a jacket over the top and zips it up so the extra luggage completely vanishes. She also takes things a step further by utilising the ultimate travel hack: stuffing her clothes inside a travel neck pillow to sneak even more outfits on board.

3. Bring Your “Decoy” Carry-On

With her secret stash hidden under her coat, Dannika carries her standard free personal bag as usual, making it look like her only piece of luggage. Genius!