A TRAVEL expert has revealed the biggest carry-on mistakes that passengers always make when boarding flights.
Packing can be one of the most stressful parts of going away, with passengers frequently taking things they don't need and forgetting the things they do.
That's why experts at Airport Parking Reservations have put together the following guide, to prevent passengers from encountering the same problems over and over again.
Not being the first on the plane
If you are near the end of the queue when it comes to boarding, your carry-on bag may not fit in the overhead compartment meaning you will have to store it under your seat or it could be put into checked luggage.
This could result in endless waiting at the other end to retrieve your bag.
The experts recommend buying priority boarding ahead of time to make sure you’ll be first on the plane and save time.
Packing clothes badly
To fold or roll is the age-old question, but the recommendation from the experts is that rolling is the best space-saving method.
Clothes stack much easier when rolled, and if rolled tightly, creases are also avoidable.
An alternative here would be to invest in packing cubes, which help passengers keep items separated and compact.
Wasting space with large items
Packing thick items of clothing can take up bag space, and when you're only flying with carry-on luggage, that space is valuable - or you could face paying extra for overweight bags.
Wearing things like winter coats, big boots, hats, and even an extra pair of underwear allows you to take those chunkier items with you, while also packing everything else.
Buying some items before flying
A lot of passengers pack things that can be bought at their destination.
Everyday essentials, such as sun cream, toothpaste and shampoo, will be available at your destination, if not free in the hotel.
Waiting until you arrive can save both space and in some cases money.
Packing sports equipment
Even if it’s just a tennis racket, most sports equipment cannot be taken on as carry-on luggage.
Anyone planning on participating in any sports while away should plan ahead and hire some equipment out there.
Social media is also full of people showing the crafty ways in which they increase their hand-luggage allowance on their flights.
Ally McKenna shared her genius packing hack in a video.
Instead of using a travel neck pillow to sleep, McKenna had the smart idea to use it as more packing space.
She took out the pillow's stuffing and packed it to the brim with extra clothes.
She was able to fit a pyjama set, several pairs of underwear and bras, two scarves, and two matching sets - all inside the pillow.
Another traveller used the one-way clothes method to ensure they had even more room in their bag on the way home than they did on their outbound flight.
In an article for Escape Wendy Harch, from Travel at Sixty, said: "I do ‘one-way clothes’ for underclothes and pyjamas in cold climates.
"For example old worn out t-shirts nearing end of life. This way as you wear them, you just leave them behind and your suitcase gets lighter and lighter."
These four packing tips could take some of the stress out of getting ready for a trip away.
There are items which help to make suitcases more organised as well.
