LONDON -- There are few things more annoying than excess baggage fees, and few more satisfying than getting one up on the jobsworths that try to enforce them. That's why wearing excess clothes on a flight that you can't get into your rucksack is such an effective way of dodging those extra fees.
One boy band singer took it to the next level, though, and paid the price.
Rewind member James McElvar put on four jumpers, six T-shirts, three pairs of jeans, two pairs of jogging bottoms, two jackets and two hats to avoid paying the £45 ($70) fee on a flight from London Stansted to Glasgow - then promptly collapsed from heat exhaustion.
The 19-year-old vomited and had to be given oxygen after pulling the stunt in an effort to avoid a charge for bringing a suitcase and a rucksack into the cabin.
Paramedics told him he was "lucky to be alive," the BBC reports.
@HannahAlOthman pic.twitter.com/MJAhVZHiFJ— REWIND (@rewind_music) July 10, 2015
McElvar regretted his decision pretty early on. "It was impossible to walk, I could barely get on the plane," he told MailOnline. "I wanted to take them all off as soon as I got to my seat - beside which was a spare seat that I could have sat one of my bags on - but was told I had to wait until we were up in the air."
Once airborne he was sick, and moved around the plane several times, looked after by an off-duty paramedic and eventually ending up in the recovery position. Upon landing he was taken to hospital in an ambulance where he started getting better.
For everyone asking James is ok. He is being looked after in hospital now back home safe in Glasgow. He sends you all his love — REWIND (@rewind_music) July 8, 2015
Later in the day he had fully recovered.
James is much better now! Still in a bit of shock but he's recovered from last night! And the other boys are fine and home safe! #rewindHQ— REWIND (@rewind_music) July 9, 2015
Virgin Trains have since got in touch, assuring him they won't make him wear all his clothes at once.
. @VirginTrains why thank you Virgin! I do enjoy your breakfast rolls so might take you up on that — REWIND (@rewind_music) July 12, 2015
EasyJet told Mashable they have "one of the most generous cabin bag allowances."
“In this instance the passenger had two items of cabin baggage which he could not combine into the allocated bag allowance and as such he was asked to either combine his baggage into one bag or pay £45 to check the bag into the hold.
“During the flight Mr McElvar became unwell and our crew onboard assisted him. We wish him a speedy recovery.”