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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take 5kg of hand luggage only on beach holiday?

150 replies

Contactlass · 04/08/2017 00:22

Admit I'm rather tight but I love getting a bargain flight and feel a bit duped (never flown with this one before..just assumed 10kg). £75 to add in hold now.

Anyway I also love a challenge. Is it do-able?

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Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 11:38

Yeah but we're not really loungers anyway. We'll be mainly sea swimming and cycling plus dh like audio books (heathen). Also...the hotel has a free book bit. I have lots of mini sunscreen (we travel a lot) so liquid allowance will be mainly this. I agree it's often very expensive abroad. Only other ESSENTIAL liquid I can think of is my foundation ( have some block perfume)

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FoonaBaboona · 04/08/2017 11:39

If you can't manage it, could you just pay for one hold bag between the two of you? Is that the £70?

Careful if you do this as that's when they are likely to weigh your hand luggage, when you check in the hold bag.

We almost got stung with this last year when we decided to take one checked bag between us and the hand luggage allowance.

We were at the counter checking in the hold bag and they got us to put our hand luggage bags on the scale too. We were just within the limit thank goodness.

rightwhine · 04/08/2017 11:42

People were getting away with much heavier bags the last time I flew Thompson. I read they were checked but I saw no sign of it.

They might sometimes be stricter with the huge wheeled hand luggage cases which probably weigh getting on for for 5kg empty but I doubt they will weigh the more normal sized bags. Personally I'd concentrate on the taking up not much space as opposed to adhering strictly to the 5kg. You can always put on some of the extra weight if challenged. Or wear something with huge pockets. Can you sew an extra huge pocket into your jacket?

I'm not sure I'd want to use an unwashed towel if bought abroad. Maybe a little washing powder in your luggage? Or microfiber towels fold up tiny and are light. Even huge sized ones. See Amazon and check out Dock and Bay ones.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 11:43

But if they have a hold bag, they won't need to take much on the plane as everthing will be in the hold bag.

Instead of only being able to take 10 kg between them as hand luggage, they will then just put all their clothes, shoes, toiletries and other bits in the hold bag, which will be more than enough allowance. They only need to take a small bag of essentials for the journey on the plane with them.

Ginkypig · 04/08/2017 11:44

I don't know as if never flown with this airline so try not to worry but I nearly couldn't get a flight because of my handbag!

having got all the way through security and having been pulled out to have my case checked to see if it fitted in one of those metal measuring thing to check it wasn't bigger than it should have been. I eventually got to the door from the airport to the plane and the woman checking the tickets said I won't let you on as you have more than one piece of hand luggage, looking at my my not that big handbag.

If you can't get it in Your case I won't let you on the flight. I don't know how the hell I did it but I did, I definitely defied the laws of physics that day.

Since then Iv always taken a tiny cross bodybag and hid it under my coat incase Grin

Donttouchthethings · 04/08/2017 11:54

Thanks for this thread - it's really useful.

I find myself wondering about razors and tweezers. Are you allowed things like that in hand luggage?

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 11:57

Yes don't touch...always take them in my hand luggage

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Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:00

Ginkypig..I've had divine airport intervention too Grin

Thanks rightwine..resssuring!

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buzzmoon · 04/08/2017 12:02

I did this in May to majorca and was freaking out about a week before but actually it was super easy and will deffo do it again! 100ml liquids is not a problem. I thought I'd run out of shampoo etc but only actually used about 1/2! I had plenty of everything. Took shampoo conditioner, after sun, sun cream moisturiser and those Clinique BIY drops that make your moisturiser into foundation cause the bottle is tiny. A lip balm and a mascara and was fine. All fit in one of those small clear bags.

Clothes wise, had dresses for the evening that doubled as a sun dress the next day. All summer clothes are so light I ended up not wearing stuff too which I was so shocked at!

Also, £140 for hold luggage is a pisstake

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:02

The other thing is I love just getting off the plane and not having to wait for luggage. I have also suffered the nightmare of Lost Luggage ...nightmare

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Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:03

Buzz moon..who did you fly with?

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Aridane · 04/08/2017 12:04

Problem is toiletries and 100ml limits

I travel hand luggage only and one of my most life saving discoveries is that you can order products through Boots online and have them delivered to the airside Boots store in the airport for click and collect (provided the airport you're flying from has one, but most main airports do), you just have to order iirc 5 days before you fly. You can take advantage of all the usual boots offers etc, the only difference from a normal delivery is getting it sent to the airport.

That way you don't have to take any toiletries in your hand luggage and, when you pick up your delivery, it counts as your duty free item, and pretty much every airline (even the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair) allows you to have one bag of duty free along with your cabin

You are a genius - I am so going to do this. Though I see it won't work with Thomsons (meanies)!

buzzmoon · 04/08/2017 12:06

I flew easyJet, but only took a small hold-all

I really surprised myself at fitting it all in. I don't know why I needed a hold bag in the past now?!

PiratePanda · 04/08/2017 12:06

Easy peasy. I can do six months' backpacking on 10 kg, so you can easily do a beach hol on 5.

Wear all your warmer/nicer clothing on the plane, including whatever pair of proper shoes you are taking. Carry a raincoat with big pockets, and put flip-flops/sparkly sandals in the pockets. If you take a book, carry it in your hand onto the plane (or put it in said raincoat)

Bare minimum of travel-sized toiletries. You can buy what you leave behind when you get there.

Either don't take a towel and buy a cheap one when you get there, or take a magic camping towel (can't remember what they're called but they're tiny).

Voila!

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:06

Ohthepressure
.pmsl....that's erm interesting Grin

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buzzmoon · 04/08/2017 12:08

Also, agree about buying anything there too- it's only majorca so not like they don't sell absolutely everything and even the same products you'd get here.

We even said in hindsight we wouldn't have bothered bringing toiletries/towels at all as the local Spar had everything and super cheap

BarbaraofSeville · 04/08/2017 12:08

Careful shopping with Boots at airports though. You won't be able to bring anything back of what you buy and even with daily showering I would barely touch the contents of a bottle of shampoo, shower gel or conditioner in a week so 80/90% would be wasted. I suppose you could pre-order a few mini bottles and most of those would get used up.

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:10

Thanks pirate..good tips! And impressed with 6 months on 10kg.

Buzz..easyjet have no weight limit. This 5kg lark is hard core!

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mermaidbutmytailfelloff · 04/08/2017 12:11

Can you wear lots? So heaviest trousers/ shoes/cardi/sweater. Get a nice towel and use it as a wrap/shawl. Maybe even layer up some tops? You can take them off once you are one the plane. You could even wear cargo pants and really make use of the pockets - charger, headphones, adapter. No one will weigh YOU.

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:12

There's a spare near hotel so I'll just get shampoo there. I don't use conditioner or straighners (think lank hair :()

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Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:13

Spar

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lettuceWrap · 04/08/2017 12:14

DH packed hand luggage only for a two week trip to the USA some years ago, just so he could avoid hanging around in the airport waiting for the suitcases to be unloaded - one small bag, a change of trousers, 2 underwear, 2 tshirts. He wore a shirt with tshirt under it, jumper and coat. The rest of his bag was filled with a laptop, camera and chargers. No toiletries.

He was stopped and questioned and searched by security as they thought long haul with hand-luggage only was a bit suspicious. Mind you, I think in those days, people got generous hold baggage allowances included in the ticket price. I bet a lot more people fly hand luggage only these days.

PiratePanda · 04/08/2017 12:14

Ahem. Long term devotee of one bag man

Original poster
Contactlass · 04/08/2017 12:14

Mermaid..Good idea my dh has cargo pants! I'd prefer not to travel in my towel Grin but will wear a lovely scarf/pashmina/sarong in one

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