So called travel hacker clout chasers on TikTok are making air travel more dangerous for themselves and more annoying for their fellow travelers with this viral napping hack. Petite young women are sitting with their feet on the seat like a bored toddler at the dinner table, and wrapping the seatbelt around their shins so they can nap head-on-knees style. Airline seatbelts are in place to keep you safe during turbulent air, and an abrupt jolt upward or forward could snap a tiny ankle like a dry twig.
Anyone who is small enough to sit like this already has more space in an airplane seat than they know what to do with. Stretch out, wear a neck pillow, and get your snooze in like a normal person. And besides, it doesn’t even work. One tester rated this hack a 2 out of 10, “not cozy.” There’s almost no way anyone could ever be cozy on an airplane, so why even bother? I’ve flown a lot and I couldn’t fold my 6’2″ 300 pound frame into this position either way, but it’s definitely a bad idea. Don’t take my word for it, here are some experts who spoke to Travel + Leisure, and know a thing or two about leisurely travel:
“It’s not suggested to sit this way because if there is rough air, you can jolt you forward or up and down, and can risk injuries,” Jasmine Khadija, an experienced flight attendant, told Travel + Leisure. “If there’s an emergency evacuation, It’s strongly advised to avoid any trip hazards including belts and straps of any kind around the feet area.”
“This position doesn’t allow your body to relax fully and can cause discomfort due to the awkward curvature of your spine and the strain it puts on your neck,” says Dr. Chelsea Perry.
There are a ton of reasons to not do this. It’s not good for sleeping, it’s bad for your back and neck, it’s potentially dangerous and you look like an idiot. Don’t listen to TikTok on this one, it’s not worth it.
Air travel used to be an incredibly formal affair with a certain level of respect and decorum, but its grandiosity is eroded every day. Don’t be annoying to your seat neighbor, don’t be annoying to flight attendants and sit in your seat like a normal human. It’s just that easy. Get on the plane, conveniently get to your destination without pissing anyone off, and it’s a win-win.