Posting a triumphant photo of herself to Facebook, wearing no fewer than nine layers, Rodriguez captioned the photo: "from 9kg to 6.5kg baggage #ExcessBaggageChallengeAccepted."
when the airline staff at the check in counter said:
“EXCESS NA PO KAYO, 7kg lang po allowed na hand carry.”
me: NO PROBLEM! 😏
*from 9kg to 6.5kg baggage 😅
#ExcessBaggageChallengeAccepted
Posted by Gel Rodriguez on Tuesday, 1 October 2019
"I didn't want to pay the fee for the excess baggage because it was only 2 kilograms," she told Vice Asia.
Considering the charges for excess on some airlines can be as much as $40 for up to 3kg declared at check-in rising to $75 fines from spot checks at the gate, you could see why she went to the extra effort.
However her solution earned her instant fame online.
"What a brilliant mind," read one of the almost 800 adoring comments the post attracted.
The idea, and ludicrous photo has so far been shared over 19,000 times.
"If I had known it would go viral, I would have posed better," she told Vice of her one regret.
It is uncertain whether it was the luggage reshuffle or the sympathy of the ground staff got Rodriguez onto the plane.
However, this trick has not always worked.
Las year Ryan Hawaii was refused embarkation on not one, but two flights out of Iceland for turning up to the gate wearing eight pairs of trousers and ten shirts.
While the Gal Rodriguez managed to board her plane layered like a Russian doll, this is by no means the only trick passengers have used to get around excess luggage charges.
In 2015 Norwegian Airways asked ground staff at London Gatwick airport to supply their most embarrassing stories and excuses from over-packed passengers.
Claiming to be transporting the ashes of a departed dog has to be a new low:
1. Wore three pairs of trousers, plus a pair of shoes stuffed in the jacket pockets
2. Decided to give up a bag and asked for it to be donated to charity
3. Was carrying a beloved pet's ashes in a handbag and so asked for leniency
4. Tried to bribe gate staff with duty free chocolates
5. Refused to comply by repeating "Me no speak any English"
6. Wore two pairs of jeans doubled up as a "double denim" scarf
7. Claimed a bag contained fragile antique pottery
8. Wore two suits
9. Insisted a credit card was maxed out and therefore had no money left to pay a charge
10. Wore two winter coats and tied three jumpers around their waist
