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A discussion has been ignited among travelers after they revealed their trick for using phones on an airplane.
A video was shared on TikTok in November by a user known as @idaaugusta, featuring Ida and her friends on their flight. The text accompanying the footage was labeled “airplane hack,” and showed one of the women walking down the aisle and flipping three headrest covers to cover the back of the seats with red cloth.
The video then showed two individuals seated with a cloth headrest cover in front of them. They proceeded to wrap the fabric around their phones and place their phone cases on top of the red cloth.
Due to the plane being hacked, the headrest cover was now able to securely hold passengers’ phones in front of them. This allowed them to relax and watch whatever they wanted without having to physically hold their devices. In her caption, Ida asked her followers if they were aware of this travel hack by simply writing, “Did you know?”
The video has become popular on TikTok, receiving over 2.5 million views. However, the comments had mixed reactions, with some people criticizing the travelers for using the headrest covers on their seats without informing the passengers in front of them.
One critic suggested, “Perhaps it would be better to ask before handling someone’s designated items.” Another commenter remarked, “It’s concerning how they simply flip it towards themselves without seeking permission first.”
One person commented, “That’s extremely impolite and unsanitary. I would not want my phone to be where someone’s hair or sweat has been.”
Some people mentioned that passengers could easily keep their phone with them during the flight, or set their devices on the tray table while watching something.
Despite receiving criticism, there were others who raised concerns about the use of headrests as phone holders for travelers.
“But it’s just a flap of fabric?” one wrote, while another added: “Why is everyone so upset? I don’t think anyone cares that much about a thin piece of fabric.”
One individual clarified their lack of issue with a fellow passenger using their headrest cover by stating, “I wouldn’t be bothered because I am aware that they are not regularly changed and can get quite dirty.”
The Independent has reached out to Ida for a response.
This is not the initial instance in which a tactic for airplane seating shared on social media has caused a discussion. In a TikTok video from May 2023, a traveler shared a method for how airline passengers can react when annoyed by the person in front of them reclining their seat.
“If you’re on a flight and the person in front of you fully reclines their seat, leaving you no space,” the text above the video instructed. “Turn on the air conditioning above you to its maximum setting and aim it towards the top of their head.”
Several individuals responded to the video by arguing that plane seats should not be able to recline when passengers are tightly packed into rows, comparing it to being packed like sardines. However, there were also others who disagreed with this viewpoint, stating that they always recline their seats fully on every flight they take.
Source: independent.co.uk
