Woman says Frontier blocked her carry-on. So she comes up with a creative solution—then ends up regretting it: ‘I had to sit in…for 4 hours’
Some people will go to great lengths to not pay for baggage fees.
Back in the day, a checked bag typically came standard with every plane ticket. As time has passed, however, companies began charging for luggage—not only if it’s checked, but even if it’s simply carried onto the plane.
This can lead to some pretty unusual workarounds to avoid bag charges. For example, one internet user showed herself taping two bags together in order to check them as one, saving her the cost of a second checked bag.
When presented with the idea of paying for her carry-on bag, TikTok user Sammy (@sammy_cap) says she couldn’t stomach shelling out the fee. That said, she would come to regret her solution.
How Did This Woman Avoid A Baggage Fee?
In a video with over 785,000 views, Sammy shows a small duffel bag. She is wearing a long-sleeve shirt and jeans.
“Frontier Airlines is not letting me bring this as my carry-on, so, I’m not above this,” she starts.
The TikToker then snaps her fingers. From here, the camera cuts to her in the same place—only this time, she’s wearing full ski attire. This look is complete with a jacket, helmet, goggles, and even massive ski boots.
“Here we are,” she says, shoes in hand. “This is also a four-hour flight. Pray for me.”
In the comments, Sammy said that her method worked. That doesn’t mean she enjoyed the experience.
“It was a regret I had to sit with (in) for 4 hours,” she wrote.
In the caption, she adds, “Will spend $2k to go skiing, but never the baggage fee.”
Does This Actually Work?
Frontier Airlines is known for its strict baggage policies. If one is found to have a bag that is over the airline’s specified dimensions, they can be charged $100 at the gate.
This has caused controversy. In 2023, it was revealed that Frontier employees earned cash bonuses for every bag they charged for being oversized. Soon, allegations were made across social media that Frontier workers were fraudulently claiming bags to be oversized that weren’t.
Additionally, a $100 million lawsuit claimed that the airline’s bag sizing tool was inaccurate, with compliant bags being marked as non-compliant in order to, per the lawsuit, “fraudulently induce sales.”
As for whether one can simply wear all their clothes on a flight, airlines do not seem to restrict this behavior. In fact, there are numerous documented cases of people flying wearing their entire wardrobe.
Can An Airline Stop You From Wearing All Your Clothes?
Generally speaking, airlines have pretty loose regulations when it comes to what you can and cannot wear.
As noted by Travel + Leisure, airlines do actually have something akin to a dress code. That said, it’s pretty general. For example, American Airlines says that one must “dress appropriately; bare feet or offensive clothing aren’t allowed.” Spirit Airlines says it can deny boarding to those who are “inadequately clothed … or whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature.”
There’s always a chance that an airline will try to deny you if you wear certain kinds of clothing. Travel + Leisure states that any clothing that is offensive or poses hygiene or safety concerns can be enough to get denied boarding.
Commenters Have Advice
In the comments section, users offered suggestions to improve Sammy’s situation. Some even added their own stories of avoiding bag fees.
“When you get on board, just put it back in the bag,” advised a user.
“I wore a sweatshirt with a huge pocket on the front (like those old NFL coats) and I just shoved everything in there,” said another. “I looked 46 months pregnant.”
“My husband wore a bunch of dive [weights] around his waist so he wouldn’t be over on the weight limit for his checked baggage hahaha,” recalled a third.
@sammy_cap Will spend $2k to go skiing, but never the baggage fee.
♬ original sound – Sammy Cap
The Mary Sue reached out to Frontier Airlines via email and Sammy via TikTok direct message and comment.
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