Handing her passport and boarding pass to the gate agent, Chelsea Dickenson held her breath. From the outside, she looked like any other passenger waiting to board a plane, except she had a secret literally wrapped around her neck. Inside her neck pillow were seven pairs of pants, five pairs of socks, one pair of leggings, and two T-shirts. Why? Because she refused to pay an extra £20 for extra luggage.
This was April 2022, and she was flying with Wizz Air to Vienna before taking the sleeper train to Paris. The route was simple enough, but with just five days away, a mixed weather forecast, and only one tiny 40 x 30 x 20cm bag to work with, she was in desperate need of a hack. A few days before flying, she had seen a viral video of an American woman stuffing an entire pillowcase full of clothes to take as an extra carry-on. It looked genius but also absurd.
The Inspiration
Taking huge pillows may be the norm in North America, but it is less accepted for budget hops across Europe. However, it planted an idea in her head. While packing for her trip, she picked up her trusty neck pillow and noticed an opening on top. Unzipping it, she slowly realized she could recreate the viral hack on a smaller scale. She could remove the memory foam insides and replace them with clothes, specifically her underwear.
The Packing Process
For a good three minutes, she rolled up seven pairs of pants, balled up five pairs of socks, and tightly folded one pair of leggings and two T-shirts before shoving them inside the black casing. It was a squeeze, but to her shock, it eventually zipped up and looked pretty normal. Three days later, she traveled to the airport feeling slightly smug. She breezed through security, placing the neck pillow into the tray without issue. But she was very aware that the real challenge lay ahead at the gate, where baggage hacks often fail.
The Gate Challenge
Shortly before boarding, she headed to the bathroom to inspect her pillow and found it looked more like an over-filled sausage than a comfortable cushion, thanks to the jutting lumps and bumps of her unmentionables. She knew there was no way she would get away with carrying it on. However, she realized if she slung it around her shoulders and wore it, she could use her hair to drape over most of it. Still, as she inched closer to the gate, the more anxious she became. What if the staff asked her to open it? Would she have to unpack her underwear in front of an entire flight? Would she become a cautionary tale on TikTok?
To avoid that fate, she did what she usually does when trying a cheeky hack: she got all her things ready to speed through the checking process as quickly as possible. Luckily, it worked. Aside from quickly surveying the bag on her back, the gate agent's eyes only hovered at her neck for a moment before she simply waved her through. She felt triumphant, the kind of giddy pride you only feel when you have gotten away with something a little bit silly.
The Reward
There is a special joy in knowing you have beaten a system that catches so many others out. But it was not just about one-upping 'the man.' It was also about the money she saved. With an extra carry-on bag costing £20 each way, she knew she had banked enough cash to afford a few treats while away, which resulted in a cheap ticket to the opera in Vienna and plenty of coffee and cakes.
Return and Other Hacks
After a trip filled with hours of walking, endless stair climbs, and a dramatic dash for her sleeper train, she reloaded her neck pillow with her dirty pants. But before you ask, no, she did not wear it around her neck for the return. Even she has her limits. Though she has tried other hacks over the years, such as packing into a big bra (too hot and sweaty), the fishing vest (surprisingly effective), and the simple 'too big bag' gamble (always a thrill), the neck pillow is the one that has been most popular when it comes to people recreating it.
Why This Hack Works
That is the beauty of this hack: so many of us already have what is needed to give it a go. As airlines generally do not count neck pillows as part of your baggage allowance, it makes the most of a loophole that is already out there and is discreet enough that no one will really bat an eyelid. There are a few things to be aware of, like how it only really works with soft items (it is not the hack to use for toiletries) and the aforementioned dirty washing dilemma, but otherwise it is a pretty solid hack. So why not give it a go the next time you are packing light but want to take a spare pair of pants or six?
