Debates about travel etiquette commonly go viral on TikTok.
A person walks down an airplane aisle. Dobrila Vignjevic/Getty Images
Flight etiquette has become one of the biggest controversial topics to take off on TikTok in recent months.
Relatable travel debacles, from how to respond when a baby is crying during your flight, to where to put your carry-on bags to avoid inconveniencing others, keep going viral on the app as users put forward their opinions and document their responses to these in-flight travel situations in real-time.
Seat switching in particular has become the most debated topic among the vast array of TikTok flight etiquette debates, with users consistently going viral on the app for sharing stories about being asked to move from their seat to swap with another passenger while traveling.
These immensely popular stories have sparked questions and concerns from viewers and commenters on the app: Is it OK to ask someone to move to a seat in a different seat class from their original seat? Is there more social pressure to swap if a parent wants to sit next to their young child?
Insider spoke to five flight attendants who witness these situations and conflicts unfolding regularly on flights, asking for their consensus on the proper etiquette around this topic, which continues to inspire rage, arguments, and impassioned rants on social media.
Some of the flight attendants who spoke to Insider for this article asked to omit full names and remain anonymous for privacy reasons in order to speak frankly. Insider verified these individuals’ employment as flight attendants with airlines with paystubs and ID badges.
All five flight attendants agreed that asking another passenger to swap seats is OK. But what isn’t is expecting or assuming that the passenger will say yes.
Here are their key takeaways.
Flight Attendants Weigh in on the Seat-Swapping TikTok Airplane Debate
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