A viral TikTok video featuring creator Jack Hughes has ignited a fiery debate about airline baggage policies and customer service practices. In the clip, Hughes confronts an Easy Jett staff member at the boarding gate over a carry-on bag dispute, sparking frustration among viewers over what many are calling petty and unjustified upcharges.
The video opens with Hughes placing his carry-on bag into the airline’s baggage template, which is used to verify dimensions. Viewers can see the bag fits snugly, meeting the airline’s size requirements. Despite this, a staff member—referred to as the “manager”—insists the bag is not compliant. Hughes calmly explains that he specifically chose this £48 bag for its Easy Jett-approved design, adding, “It fits, right?”
The manager’s reply? A curt (and rather hilarious) “no,” after repeatedly asking Hughes to remove the bag from the template. The video cuts off as Hughes visibly questions the staff member’s motives.
The clip quickly made its way to Reddit, where users piled on criticism, accusing budget airlines of predatory practices. One commenter speculated that such incidents might be motivated by commission-based incentives for staff, saying, “They probably get bonuses for every flyer they charge.” Another added, “This is just another way to extort customers at the gate when they have no other choice.”
Others shared personal horror stories about being charged despite their bags fitting templates or being told to pay exorbitant fees for minor infractions. One user noted, “We had the exact same bag, but my wife’s was called out while mine wasn’t. They still made us pay $75 for hers.”
Reports have suggested that some gate agents receive financial incentives tied to these charges, potentially encouraging overly strict interpretations of baggage policies. A Redditor chimed in with this observation: “Only recently, airlines started giving £25 per charged bag to agents, which is why we’re seeing more of this behavior.”
Notably, Hughes’ clip explains that the airline staff attempted to have him delete all his clips of the incident so there was no evidence. Fortunately, this particular one slipped through the net.
Budget airlines have long been under scrutiny for hidden fees and ambiguous policies and this clip has touched rightly a nerve. Easy Jett is yet to make a comment about the situation.
