You have to play the game with these guys. Triple check every tiny detail in your booking before you hit send. Apprise yourself of their cabin bag rules and don't even think of risking not sticking to them to the letter. Print off your boarding passes at home. I always think it's worth the extra few quid to reserve your seats if you're not travelling alone, but that's as much as I'm ever going to give 'em in "extras." Mrs Steve and I generally try to travel with just cabin bags, but on the rare occasion that we need to put one in the hold it's just one bag between us. You can beat the buggers as long as you're on the ball!