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TigerAir slams prankster who claims he 'smuggled' himself on flight inside suitcase

A prankster who claims to have "smuggled" himself on board a TigerAir flight inside a suitcase has been blasted by the airline, which says the entire story is fabricated.

Adam Saleh, a popular video blogger from the US, filmed himself being zipped inside a tiny suitcase by two of his friends, while warning his followers: “Don’t try this at home”.

Folding his knees up to his chest and tucking in his head, he manages to squeeze himself into the luggage, taking only his phone to record his journey.

Mr Saleh is already dripping with sweat during the short taxi ride to the airport and when the group arrives, they quickly locate TigerAir’s self check-in unit.

Adam Saleh squeezed into the suitcase to perform the prank at Melbourne Airport. Photo: YouTube/AdamSaleh
Adam Saleh squeezed into the suitcase to perform the prank at Melbourne Airport. Photo: YouTube/AdamSaleh
Security footage contradicted his story though, it showed Mr Saleh boarding the Tiger Air flight... on foot. Source: Tiger Air
Security footage contradicted his story though, it showed Mr Saleh boarding the Tiger Air flight... on foot. Source: Tiger Air

His friends haul the bag onto the scales as the cramped vlogger offers one final wave out of the zipper.

But the group hits a snag – the 66 kilogram suitcase has exceeded the 30 kilogram weight limit.

After claiming to pay an excess baggage fee, the plan appears to be back on track and the black bag disappears down a conveyor belt to continue its journey.

Mr Saleh continues to film from inside, wiping down the screen of his camera, which has become dampened with sweat.

Dripping with sweat, Mr Saleh continues to record from inside the suitcase. Photo: YouTube/AdamSaleh
Dripping with sweat, Mr Saleh continues to record from inside the suitcase. Photo: YouTube/AdamSaleh

“This is the scariest thing I’ve done in my life,” he says.

On arrival at Sydney Airport, the group spots the suitcase on the baggage carousel with Mr Saleh’s hand waving frantically out of the zip.

The bag is dragged to the ground and upzipped, and Mr Saleh stands up before yelling, “I’m in Sydney! I’m in Sydney!” in front of dozens of onlookers.

The video clocked up more than 300,000 views in the first three days and while many of Mr Saleh’s fans applauded the daredevil’s latest prank, TigerAir responded with an open letter to officially debunk the prank.

"Firstly, you wouldn't have been accepted by our automated bag drop machines at 66kg as a friendly staff member would have stepped in to assist,” the letter read.

"Secondly, some aircraft have heated baggage holds but the aircraft you were on does not and it gets pretty cold at 36,000 feet so by the time you arrived in Sydney you would have been a popsicle.

"Thirdly, we have footage of you boarding the aircraft using your legs."

TirgerAir has requested that Mr Saleh remove the footage.