Post date: Jul 20, 2011 7:4:18 PM
A small British company has produced a lightweight jacket with several pockets which can be stuffed with luggage, helping travelers avoid the hefty cost of carrying extra baggage on budget airlines.
UK-FLYING JACKET- Ever thought an item of clothing could save you money?The Rufus Roo travel jacket might do just that.
Like a kangaroo, the Rufus Roo has big pouches - which travellers can stuff with clothes, toiletries, books and even a laptop before wearing the jacket and boarding a plane.
Adrian Oates is the co-founder of Rufus Roo.
Adrian Oates, Co-Founder of Rufus Roo, saying:
"It's airports, it's trains, it's wherever you need to go and carry stuff and it just so happens that at airports, people are being expected to pay obnoxious fees for extra things and we think well hey, if you can carry it on your person, they're not going to charge you."
Adrian says the jacket can comfortably carry around 10 kilogrammes, and he hasn't any problems from airlines when wearing it to fly.
Adrian Oates, Co-Founder of Rufus Roo, saying:
"Even if you've got 10 kilos, you don't always have to carry it. We tend to fill the pockets and just use the arm holes as a shoulder bag. You just use it like that."
Extra baggage on budget airlines can be very expensive.
It costs between £25-35 to check in one pre-booked 20 kilogramme bag on a Ryanair flight, between £9-14 on an EasyJet plane and £13 to check a bag in with Flybe.
But Ryanair points out their free 10 kilogramme carry-on allowance allows passengers to take a week's worth of clothes with them anyway.
So would travellers heading on holiday from London's Luton airport wear the Rufus Roo?
Slawka Pfantsch (pronounced Swafka Founsch), Traveller, saying:
"I think it's quite good."
Alan Michette, Traveller, saying:
"It does look a bit bulky."
Naomi Scott, Traveller, saying:
"I reckon I'd do it. I'd wear it, I do everything for our travel."
Oliver Stanton, Traveller, saying:
"No, I think things can go in bags, and that's it."
Rufus Roo says they're now selling 1000 jackets a week.
They've increased production at the factory in China and may soon look for more distributors.
The jacket comes in sizes for children and adults.
It might not be the most stylish item of clothing in your wardrobe - but many travellers say looking lumpy is a small price to pay for saving money.
Joanna Partridge, Reuters