Most travellers understand that Instagram often paints an unrealistic picture of travel and not all suggested travel hacks actually work.
One such hack is the pillowcase trick. It became widely popular in 2021 after a TikTok video by Anya Lakovlieva went viral. In the video, titled “The best travel hack ever – pillow flies for free,” Lakovlieva demonstrates how to stuff a pillowcase with clothes and place it on top of her suitcase, effectively adding extra luggage.
According to TikTok users, the packing tip is to hide clothes in a pillowcase to avoid paying for an extra carry-on bag. It was assumed that because a cushion is used for comfort, it would not be considered as baggage.
Despite its popularity, not everyone found success with this trick. At Orlando Airport, a man faced issues with the police after attempting to use this method to sneak items onto a flight. A TikTok video posted by @natashaorganic on June 5 captures the tense situation, showing the man arguing with airport staff before being escorted away by Orlando Police.
@natashaorganic Stop listening to the internet #airline #travelhacks #pillow #frontier #mco #orlando
In her voiceover, Natasha advises viewers, “Stop letting social media give you tips and tricks because sometimes it’s not gonna work.” She explains that the man tried to pass off a pillowcase filled with clothes and other items as a regular pillow, but an employee quickly noticed that it was more than just a pillow. This video has been viewed over 2 million times.
