This Dad’s Eyebrow-Raising Airplane Sleeping Hack Sparks Viral Debate
Getting some rest on a long flight, particularly when flying economy, can be easier said than done. Cramped seats make it difficult to get comfortable, and reclining is now often regarded as inconsiderate thanks to disappearing leg room.
However, one woman believes her dad came up with the ultimate hack for sleeping on flights, and depending on your threshold for being sanitary, you may or may not be inclined to agree.
“You have your airport dad, I have my Asian dad,” wrote TikTok user Natalie Bright, referring to the viral dad traits of getting to the airport with hours to spare, holding onto everyone’s passports, and so on. “Flying economy for 15 hours? No problem.”
In her video, Bright’s father can be seen stretching out along the floor of the plane underneath the row of seats, while she curled up barefoot—another faux pas, depending on who you ask—on the seats above. “More room for everybody,” she added in a caption.
more room for everybody. #flyingeconomy#fligh5#asiandadsbelike
Suffice to say, it didn’t take long for the video to stir up controversy, and it has since been viewed over 7 million times.
In the comments, some applauded her dad’s ingenuity, while others held onto their gag reflexes. “Tell him to get uppp, it’s just as bad as hospital floors,” wrote one incredulous user, while a former flight attendant wrote that you don’t even want to know what she’s seen on those carpets. “I won’t even put my handbag on that floor,” added another traveler.
Indeed, back in 2019, The Points Guy published an article about why you shouldn’t sleep on the floor of an airplane—which is apparently something people have needed to hear before—and the reasons are compelling. For starters, the turnaround time of an airplane determines how thoroughly it gets cleaned, and flight attendants quite understandably focus on seats, armchairs, and folding trays.
Not to mention, overnight cleans typically often only include vacuuming, and most airlines only perform “deep-cleans” about once a month, with some going as long as 55 days. There are also no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleaning guidelines to regulate or inspect the cleaning of planes, so it’s mostly up to an individual airline’s discretion.
So while some may call Bright’s father’s sleeping trick a hack, others might call it a germ bath. Maybe this is one to skip, unless you have a HAZMAT decontamination shower waiting for you when you disembark.
