I recently decided to try out the viral fishing vest travel hack to avoid paying for a carry-on during my JetBlue flight. This trend, which gained popularity on TikTok, offers a clever way to bypass airlines’ add-on fees. I was able to neatly fit my clothes, laptop, and toiletries into the vest’s 18 pockets and successfully boarded the plane without any issues.
Allow me to regale you with the full narrative of this endeavor, which goes beyond a mere comedic blog post. This is a tale of sweet revenge. But first, let me provide some context for my villainous origin story: I made the foolish mistake of booking the wrong date for my flight. It was a humbling experience, almost as if karma had struck me for once ridiculing my mother when she made the same error years ago, resulting in a grueling 15-hour drive to South Carolina (a memory she will never let me forget).
With my ego thoroughly bruised, I dialed JetBlue’s customer service in an attempt to rectify my blunder. To my dismay, after enduring a five-minute wait on hold, I was informed by an impersonal robotic voice that I would be charged a $25 service fee for speaking with a live representative. Fuming with both anger at myself and the airline, I hung up and decided to change the flight on my own.
It is worth mentioning that I had initially purchased a Blue Basic ticket, which came with a multitude of restrictions, including a $100 change fee. Despite considering myself a seasoned traveler who would never commit the foolish act of booking a flight on the wrong Tuesday, I found myself facing the consequences of my own actions and reluctantly parting ways with $100 to amend an $85 flight. This stung, as my previous experiences with the airline had been quite pleasant.
However, there was no way on Earth I would allow myself to pay an additional $65 for a carry-on bag. Determined to seek retribution, I drove to my aunt and uncle’s house, where I promptly removed my cousin’s fishing rods from my truck and replaced them with an extra-extra-large Helly Hansen fishing vest.
Now, if you haven’t been keeping up with the internet trends, you might be wondering how a fishing vest could help me exact revenge on JetBlue. Well, fishing vests are equipped with an abundance of pockets—18 in the case of this particular vest. The back pocket happened to be the perfect size for my laptop, which I removed once I settled into my seat on the plane, allowing me to roll up the vest and store it conveniently at my feet.
This ingenious hack originated from savvy TikTokers who, in the face of exorbitant prices, hidden fees, and frequent delays plaguing the airline industry, began utilizing fishing vests as wearable backpacks to circumvent carry-on charges imposed by budget airlines, known for allowing only one free personal item. It’s just one of the money-saving travel hacks embraced by young travelers who have grown disillusioned with the industry’s predatory practices.
Fuelled by a spirit of vengeance and eager to partake in this movement, I maximized the vest’s potential storage capacity. The larger front pockets accommodated two bathing suits and my entire makeup bag, while the smaller pockets harbored my collection of gadgets—AirPods, wired earphones, chargers for my MacBook and iPhone, as well as my wallet for easy access. The vest’s inner pockets housed my sunglasses, eyeglasses, contact case, hair clip, and a granola bar. And in the grandest of pockets located on the back of the vest, one that I can only assume was meant for storing a deceased fish, I carefully packed my laptop and a book.
I managed to fit the rest of my clothes and a pair of shoes into a backpack, which served as my designated personal item according to the airline’s rules. Not only did the fishing vest enable me to bring items that would have posed a challenge otherwise, but the assorted pockets also enhanced accessibility compared to cramming everything into a single bag.
As a habitual light packer, I must emphasize that this method would only be suitable for brief trips, no longer than a weekend. Experts have warned that not all TikTok travel hacks are foolproof, as they often hinge on the discretion of gate agents.
When the time came for me to embark on my journey, a rush of anxiety momentarily overshadowed my initial enthusiasm. I watched as my friend checked his bag (succumbing to the airline’s manipulations), and rehearsed my excuses in case I was caught in the act. “Oh, these pockets? Just my fishing gear. I caught a striper early this morning, actually.”
Seeking utmost discretion, I carried the vest in my arms until I reached the security bin, where I finally placed it down and passed through without a hitch. Once I reached the gate, I confidently slipped the vest back on, catching the eye of a fellow passenger. “Nice hack,” she remarked. “I read about that on the internet.”
Buoyed by this newfound camaraderie, I held my breath as I presented my ticket to the gate agent. To my delight, she greeted me cheerfully, without a single inquiry, and wished me a pleasant flight. Mission accomplished.
At some point in your life, irrational anger toward an airline, for a mistake entirely your own, will consume you. Channel that rage. Log off from Twitter. Don a fishing vest. Stride past the gate agent, basking in the smugness radiating from your visage. I assure you, you will feel better.
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