Traveller Rebecca Andrews fakes PREGNANCY in an attempt to avoid baggage fees

A cheeky Australian traveller has revealed she faked a pregnancy to avoid paying extra baggage fees – but she was caught out moments before boarding. 

Escape travel writer Rebecca Andrews pulled out all stops to get around the excess charges after her carry-on luggage for Jetstar exceeded the maximum weight of seven kilos.

Passengers travelling on domestic flights usually have their carry-on baggage weighed at the boarding gate before departure – as major airlines crackdown on overweight hand luggage.

So Rebecca, who was flying to Melbourne from Sydney, decided to hide her laptop and charger on her body by disguising them under her clothes after going through security at Sydney Airport. 

Wearing a lycra leotard, she put the laptop with case down her back, and wrapped a piece of clothing around a charger and into the shape of a baby bump

Wearing a lycra leotard, she put the laptop with case down her back, and wrapped a piece of clothing around a charger and into the shape of a baby bump.

From there, Rebecca redressed herself, putting her jeans, knitted sweater and a leather jacket over the leotard before she proceeded with the plan.

‘I walked very erectly (Tip: you have to keep your shoulders back, you’ll find out why in a second) to the gate,’ she explained.

When she got to her boarding gate, Rebecca – who runs a weekly Melbourne newsletter called The Sprinkler – realised she made her one and ‘only mistake’ by being the last person to board her flight.

‘The staff were all paying me attention,’ she said.

‘Collectively, they weighed my bag, and with smiles gave me the all clear. But as I walked my fake-pregnant ass down the gangway, I dropped my ticket and made a noise. So they all looked at me again. 

‘As I bent over to pick up the ticket, the shape of my laptop down my back suddenly became apparent.’

From there, Rebecca redressed herself, putting her jeans, knitted sweater and a leather jacket over the leotard before she proceeded with the plan

Gel Rodriguez (pictured), from the Philippines, decided to wear 2.5 kilograms of her garments after her carry-on luggage exceeded the maximum weight of seven kilos

Rebecca claimed an airline staff member questioned whether she was hiding a backpack under her jacket to which she replied: ‘No’.

But unable to think of a good excuse on the spot, Rebecca said she ended up confessing to the flight attendant about her money-saving tactic. 

Despite her efforts, Rebecca had to cough up $60 for the baggage fee before boarding her flight. 

In her video, which was recorded in her hotel room before the flight, Rebecca demonstrated how she hid her heaviest items on her body.

Her airport trick comes just a week after an airline passenger wore at least 10 pieces of her clothing to avoid paying baggage fees.

Gel Rodriguez, from the Philippines, decided to wear 2.5 kilograms of her garments after her carry-on luggage exceeded the maximum weight of seven kilos.

The traveller said she was informed by airline staff at the check-in counter her suitcase weighed nine kilos so she would be charged a weight fee.

‘When the airline staff at the check in counter said “Only seven kilos is allowed in hand luggage”. Me: “No problem”.’

Refusing to make the payment, she transformed her overweight baggage from nine kilos to a light 6.5 kilos after layering herself with multiple t-shirts, pants and jackets.