Iv'e had friends that put their extra shoes in their coat pockets, A friend who brought a pillow for the flight and stuffed it under his shirt when they started to give him trouble. Friends who just made a run down the Jetway when the witches back was turned, etc'.
You may not use all the tricks on your first LC flight but when you've taken 10/20/30 of them, you start to pick things up.
When there is a will (and a stubbornness to not pay extra) there is a way!