Often I feel frontline airline workers don’t do sufficient to deescalate conditions, particularly at extremely low price carriers. Nevertheless, on this case I can’t assist however assume it’s deserved.
The “pillowcase hack” is ridiculously silly
Earlier than we speak about this particular incident, let me share some background. The web is filled with folks attempting to faux they’ve insightful “hacks,” as a result of it makes for excellent clickbait. Alongside these traces, some folks love to advertise the idea of the “pillowcase hack” when flying.
Airways are sometimes strict about carry-on allowances, and that’s notably true on extremely low price carriers, which usually solely allow you to take a private merchandise (and never a full dimension carry-on) when reserving essentially the most primary fare.
There’s a perception on the market that taking a pillow onboard a airplane gained’t depend towards your carry-on allowance, because it gained’t be saved within the overhead bin or beneath your seat. Nevertheless, over time that idea has advanced, with some folks now eradicating the pillow from the pillowcase, and as a substitute stuffing the pillowcase with garments and different objects, and treating it like a carry-on, whereas pondering that they don’t should pay.
The issue is, in the event you have a look at social media, you’d assume that that is some permissible loophole that airways formally permit, and that there aren’t any dangers. This merely isn’t true — I really don’t know of a single airline on the planet that formally states {that a} pillow doesn’t depend as a private merchandise or a carry-on, even when folks get away with it. And I’m simply speaking a few common pillow, and never even a pillowcase filled with different stuff.
I imply, it’s form of like saying there’s a “genius hack” to get groceries without cost, and that’s to only steal them. So to consistently cowl stuff like this with none caveats is doing a disservice to your viewers at finest, and downright unethical at worst, in my view.
Frontier passenger tries “pillowcase hack,” finds out
As flagged by View from the Wing, TikTok consumer @natashaorganic shared a video from a Frontier Airways gate, previous to a flight from Orlando (MCO) to Buffalo (BUF). The narrated video, which has been considered over one million occasions, revolves round an incident the place a passenger tries to drag off the “pillowcase hack.”
The man exhibits up on the gate with a pillowcase stuffed full of private objects, and the gate agent reportedly informs him that he’ll should pay for that as a carry-on. He will get actually argumentative, and refuses to pay, claiming it’s “only a pillowcase.” He actually doesn’t appear to get it — you’re nonetheless not really formally allowed to convey a pillowcase onboard, over and above the carry-on allowance, however some gate brokers will flip a blind eye.
The man solely finally ends up claiming that he’s keen to pay to take it onboard after the plane’s door closes. At that time it’s in fact too late. Nonetheless, he tries to drive his method onto the airplane, at which level the cops are known as, and the person is escorted out of the airport.
Because the video’s narrator explains, “cease letting these websites, social media, offer you ideas and tips, as a result of generally it’s not gonna work”
@natashaorganic Cease listening to the web #airline #travelhacks #pillow #frontier #mco #orlando ♬ unique sound – natashaorganic
Basically, I discover it dismaying the extent to which the web has turn into all about clickbait and passing off breaking guidelines and half-truths as “genius hacks.” As media consumption more and more shifts to brief kind movies, I suppose that’s inevitable. You want some actual zingers in an effort to get site visitors.
Nevertheless it’s not simply younger Gen-Z folks on TikTok doing this, nevertheless it’s additionally handed off broadly on the web past that. For instance, I noticed the above story about somebody getting in bother for the “pillowcase hack” on View from the Wing, and Gary talks about how “journey social media” has been “taken over” by this hack. However then I remembered the place I really heard about this hack within the first place. In order you’ll be able to see, this recommendation is fairly widespread!
Backside line
I’ve by no means written in regards to the “pillowcase hack” earlier than, as a result of I feel it’s dumb and simply plain unhealthy recommendation. Sure, some folks will stuff a pillowcase with garments and be capable to convey it on a airplane, as a result of some gate brokers gained’t say something. However that’s not official coverage, and all too typically, protection about this doesn’t embody caveats about how this isn’t permitted by airways.
Somebody discovered this out the laborious method on a current Frontier Airways flight, after they had been requested to pay to take their pillow filled with issues onto the airplane. The man refused till the plane door closed, after which provided to pay, nevertheless it was too late. He grew to become extra aggressive, after which the cops had been known as.
What do you make of the “pillowcase hack?”
