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Man wears entire wardrobe on easyJet flight to Iceland to avoid £46 baggage fare

'The one-hour embarassment was worth the expenditure'

Jess Staufenberg
Tuesday 29 March 2016 19:04 BST
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Matt Botten before boarding the flight
Matt Botten before boarding the flight (Matt Botten)

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A man managed to avoid the check-in baggage charges on an budget airlines flight - by wearing his entire wardrobe.

Despite upsetting several tables in the airport lounge and becoming somewhat sweaty in his oversized "Michelin man" outfit, Matt Botten said his ensemble for the easyJet flight to Iceland was worth the trouble.

He and his girlfriend, Abigail White, were less than impressed to discover a £46 charge would be added to the price of their initially cheap flights.

"When most stuff you own is from Primark and collectively worth half that, it seemed ludicrous," Mr Botten, who is from Cardiff, told The Independent.

"So I sensibly decided the one hour embarassment of looking like a massively flustered Michelin man, and subsequent odour, was worth the expenditure."

The northern lights in Iceland, where the couple where headed on holiday
The northern lights in Iceland, where the couple where headed on holiday

Mr Botten said it was "entirely correct" to assume it had been a hassle to get into the clothing necessary for the outdoor lifestyle of the Icelandic landscape.

He said he wore two hoodies, a coat, a scarf, ski gloves, possibly several trousers, walking boots, sunglasses and with trainers in both pockets.

Matt Botten in the full ensemble
Matt Botten in the full ensemble

"I upset three tables' worth of people in Gatwick Wetherspoons donning this get-up, one of which (resultantly) had a crying child on," he said.

"Like all great endeavours though, you're always going to get some collateral damage."

Mr Botten did at least avoid inflicting too much strain on himself - unlike boyband singer James McElvar, who last year passed out on an easyJet flight attempting the same feat.

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