Bizarre things done by passengers to avoid checking-in baggage at Gatwick

A survey by Norwegian of 50 of its Aviator ground staff at Gatwick lists the top 10 bizarre passenger attempts to avoid checking-in hand baggage.

A passenger:

1. Wore three pairs of trousers, with a pair of shoes stuffed in the jacket pockets

2. Decided to give up their bag and asked for it to be donated to charity

3. Carried a beloved pet’s ashes in their handbag and wanted leniency

4. Tried to bribe gate staff with newly bought chocolates from duty free

5. Refused to comply by repeating “Me no speak any English”

6. Two pairs of jeans were doubled up and worn as a “double denim” scarf

7. Claimed their bag contained fragile antique pottery

8. Wore two layers of suits

9. Insisted their credit card was maxed out with no money left to pay

10. Wore two winter coats and tied three jumpers around their waist

Stuart Buss from Norwegian said: “Between Christmas and new year marks a busy end to a busy year for Norwegian in the UK and so we’ve gathered this research to put a lighter touch on an area that affects all airlines. Even with our generous carry-on allowance, passengers flying during winter with shopping and bulkier items can increase the likelihood of their bags being non-compliant. Baggage issues can cause delays so it’s in our interest to make sure all bags are loaded quickly so that passengers can get away on time and enjoy their flight.”

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