A new TikTok trend has travelers getting “creative” in an effort to get comfortable.
Multiple videos have surfaced on the platform showing airplane passengers using the seat belt to keep their feet up on the seat.
Instead of clipping the seat belt around their waists, travelers are wrapping the strap around their shins and ankles — and clipping it into place to prevent their feet from sliding down.
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One TikTok user posted a video on Feb. 2 as she tried out the trend with the caption, “To whoever it was that said to put the plane belt around your ankles … I owe you my life!!!!”
The TikTok currently has 20.7 million views and 1.9 million likes with mixed reactions in the comments.
TikTok users are posting about a new way to wear seat belts on an airplane — although experts are warning about safety risks. (iStock)
“That’s actually so smart,” one user said.
TikTok user @thatonekenyan asked, “Why are you guys saying this is smart??!? If bad turbulence happens she’s OFF that seat.”
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TikTok creator and solo world traveler Taylor Futch (@tfutchh), who is based in Miami, said she tried out the trend for herself on a flight in Europe.
She posted a video on Jan. 25 with the caption, “Saw a TikTok where they said to put your seat belt at your ankles and I’ll never be the same.”
Stills from the TikTok video posted by @tfutchh trying out the viral seatbelt trend on a European flight. (TikTok @tfutchh)
Futch’s video has been viewed 3.2 million times so far, with multiple flight attendants leaving comments urging caution.
One user, Shannon Blevins, commented, “Flight attendant here. Please don’t do this. I know it’s comfortable, but if we hit unexpected turbulence or rough air, you’re not protected. It happens more than you think!”
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Another user, who also claimed to be a flight attendant, warned, “This will not protect you in a sudden turbulence event. Please keep your belt fastened the way it should be.”
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Futch clarified that she tried the trend while flying at a “safe altitude and only for a few minutes just to change positions.”
Futch confirmed that the seat belt sign was turned off before she switched positions. (iStock)
“I don’t think this would be a good position for hours of sitting, but if you needed to change things up a bit, it was great to prevent my feet from sliding,” she said.
Futch mentioned that this seat belt bind has a similar function to an airplane foot hammock, a device that clips onto a tray table and hangs down to become a leg and foot rest.
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Michael Wallace, travel expert and CEO of Greenback Expat Tax Service in Detroit, Michigan, warned in a statement to Fox News Digital that this flight trend “might not be the safest option.”
“We’re always looking for ways to make our flights a more comfortable experience,” he said.
“With smaller seats, longer flights and some key amenities becoming fewer and farther between, it’s no surprise that we jump on any trend that will make our trip even slightly more pleasant.”
Futch’s TikTok video shows the seat belt tightly wrapped around her ankles. (TikTok @tfutchh)
But the travel expert emphasized that this trend should be “taken with a grain of salt.”
Wallace said, “While attaching your seat belt around your ankles might give you some short-term comfort, it’s actually an incredibly dangerous thing to do.”
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“In the event of sudden turbulence, you should have your seat belt secured around your waist.”
Having the seat belt tied around your ankles could put you in a “life-threatening situation,” Wallace warned, as you “take extra time to first unbuckle and then rebuckle your seat belt.”
Travel experts warned that wearing your seat belt anywhere other than around your waist can be dangerous in the event of turbulence during the flight. (iStock)
“If the plane hits turbulence that causes you to lean forward at an increased rate … even a slight knock to your head on your knees could cause a concussion,” he said.
Having the seat belt “tightly hugging your ankles” can lead to “poor circulation,” Wallace added.
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“Passengers could develop minor symptoms such as discomfort or numbness,” he said.
“In more extreme cases, you could develop blood clots.”
He added, “This is why some people wear compression socks on long-haul flights to ensure their feet don’t swell uncomfortably due to poor circulation.”
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