TikTok videos advising airplane passengers to put seat belts around their ankles have become a trend, with some garnering hundreds of thousands of views and likes.
But one flight attendant said this advice is “the last thing they (cabin crew) want to go viral” as it is “dangerous” advice.
TikTokers who have promoted the supposed pleasure of fastening seat belts on the lower legs during flights include a 26-year-old influencer who lives in New York City. loren wolf.
The content creator posted a clip in which she has her feet on the seat and the seat belt around her ankles wearing the caption: ‘to the girl who said to put the seat belt on your ankles instead of on waist to be more comfortable… I owe you my life.’
It garnered more than 193,000 views and attracted comments such as “OMG I’m so excited to try this” and “This looks so cozy.”
Lauren Wolfe posted a TikTok in which she has her feet on the seat and the seat belt around her ankles wearing the caption: ‘to the girl who said to put the seat belt on your ankles instead of your waist to be more comfortable… I owe you my life.’ Lauren’s post racked up more than 193,000 views and attracted comments such as “OMG I’m so excited to try this” and “this looks so cozy.”
Another TikToker, who posts using the handle ‘helens_princessdiaries‘, posted a similar clip, titled ‘best flying trick ever done.’ This received 1,650 likes.
TikToker ‘mychellelynda’ did the same, with her ankle seat belt video accumulating 401,000 likes.
But Jay Robert, a flight attendant who runs the popular Fly Guy Cabin Crew Lounge Network, told MailOnline Travel: ‘The thing about seatbelts is that they actually play a very important role in the safety of air travel, for example by preventing your head from hitting the roof.
‘In theory, it might seem like harmless travel advice, but from the perspective of safety professionals who have seen the injuries that result from an airplane hitting unexpected clear-air turbulence, (wear seat belts around ankles) is dangerous and could cause suffering. Serious damage to the head, neck and spine.
‘This dangerous advice is the last thing we want to go viral. I think most of the cabin crew, myself included, if we saw him sleeping soundly like this and the seat belt sign was on, we would wake him up and tell him to wear the seat belt properly.
“Turbulence is no joke and can occur without warning and can be very strong.”
Travel expert Lucía Polla (above), said: “I can’t emphasize enough how dangerous this practice (ankle seat belts) is.”
Nicky Kelvin, editor of The boy with the pointsagreed.
He told MailOnline: ‘Seatbelts on planes and other means of transport are installed to be used correctly and are essential to keeping passengers safe in the event of an emergency.
“With turbulence becoming more common on flights, wearing your seat belt correctly (low and tight on your lap) can help with the safety of yourself and those around you.”
Lucia Pollatravel expert specializing in southern Spain, added her thoughts and revealed that a locked seat belt saved her from injury during a bout of turbulence over the Pacific.
She said: ‘Take it from someone who has logged countless miles in the sky: I can’t stress enough how dangerous this practice (‘ankle seat belts’) is. On a flight over the Pacific, we ran into an unexpected storm and fell thousands of feet in seconds. Only my locked seat belt kept me from crashing into the roof of the cabin. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had just had the belt around my weak ankles. I understand the desire for a more relaxed flying experience, but your comfort should never come at the expense of your safety.’
Michael Donovan, co-founder of StayNewEngland.com and graduate in biology, added: ‘Heaven is no place for risky behavior, especially when it comes to something as critical as properly fastening your seat belt.
‘I can’t emphasize enough how this new TikTok trend of fastening seat belts around your ankles instead of your waist isn’t just a harmless prank — it’s a potential safety hazard.
‘I’m not here to be the funny cop. But think twice before jumping into this trend. Focus your energy on safely enjoying your flight with quality in-flight entertainment or getting to know your seatmate. If you really need to stretch your legs, get up and walk down the aisle when the seat belt sign is off. Keep the TikTok antics on the ground and enjoy your flight the right way.