Travelers' Plane Seat Hack Divides Internet: 'Hard Recline if You Did This'

A video of plane passengers using the headrest covers of the seats in front of them to hold their phones up has sparked heated debate on TikTok.

The viral video was posted by Ida Augusta (@idaaugusta) and has had 2.6 million views since it was first shared back in late November last year.

A note overlaid on the clip simply says "airplane hack" as the footage shows a woman standing in the aisle of a plane. She is seen flipping the headrest covers of a couple of plane seats over onto the backs of the seats.

Two people are later shown placing their mobile phones against the flipped headrest covers and putting their phone covers onto their devices to secure the fabric in place. Two passengers are later shown watching videos on their phones, which are held up by the headrest covers hanging over their closed tray tables.

The plane hack has been criticized by some users on TikTok, which comes as no surprise because travelers had a lot to say about in-flight etiquette in a June 2023 survey conducted on behalf of the travel booking website Kayak. The survey asked 1,000 plane passengers aged 18 and over in the U.S. and Canada about how to behave when flying.

According to the survey, "you are not allowed to ask to borrow something from your seat neighbor," such as their headrest cover, "because 86 percent of travelers think it puts people in an uncomfortable position."

Flyers also believe you're "not allowed to grab the front seat when getting up" because 76 percent of travelers "don't like to literally get taken aback," the survey found.

You are, however, allowed to recline your seat "because 88 percent of travelers think the button is there for a reason," and watch your neighbor's screen "because 61 percent of travelers don't think it's weird," according to the survey.

'Wildly Rude'

The plane hack has received a storm of criticism from users on TikTok.

Sammy said: "This is wildly rude—those sheets are for hygiene reasons and you're taking those away from the people in front of you."

Spencer Morris said "Hard recline if you did this" and 3huseyin wrote "Tell me you're selfish."

Noname noted "The level of entitlement!" and SchwiftySmellshock added "The self-entitlement is real with these ones."

Dutchie wrote: "The audacity to do this with the stuff of someone in another seat."

Dai said: "Maybe ask someone before touching their designated things."

Jenjapi noted: "It's not yours to use unless you ask the person in front."

User neon33 agreed, saying "Those red things belong to the seat in front. They're not yours to take. Did they [sic] thought even enter your mind?"

'It's Just a Flap of Fabric'

Others were less bothered, such as Leandra Jepsen who wrote, "but it's just a flap of fabric?"

Kayla asked: "Why is everyone so upset? I don't think anyone cares that much about a thin piece of fabric."

Pepper Aan noted: "I wouldn't mind because I know they don't change as they supposed [to] it's dirty as a s***."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok and email. This video has not been independently verified.

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