A plane passenger has devised a hilarious way to ensure the seat next to you is kept free on a flight.
When travelling in economy on a plane, having an empty spot next to you to dump your belongings and spread out into is the dream scenario. Unfortunately the clever booking methods of budget airlines and their need to fill up planes as much as possible to turn a profit means this happens rarely.
Not wanting to leave it to fate, one plane passenger came up with a slightly outlandish trick to maximise his chances of a roomy flight. Recently he boarded a flight run by Southwest Airlines, an American firm which has an open seating policy. Unlike budget airlines in the UK such as Ryanair and easyJet which insist that you either sit where you've been allocated or pay to choose a new seat, the American company lets you opt where to seat when you board an aircraft.
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"Once onboard, simply choose any available seat and stow your carry-on items in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you,” a statement on Southwest Airline website reads. Clearly the rule incentivises people to be quick to the boarding gate and first onto the plane, as well as coming up with crafty tricks to deter people from sitting next to them.
Looking to increase the chances that fellow customers steer clear, one plane passenger used his arms along with a jacket and a cap to construct a mannequins like figure in the seat next to him. While the fabric clad figurine was not going to stand up to too much scrutiny if a closer look was taken, it was human shaped enough to fool a unobservant passer-by.
Although it is unclear whether the ruse paid off and the passenger secured an extra-comfortable flight, in the clip a number of people can be seen walking past the flyer and his constructed companion without a second look. It's not the first time that a passenger has used some crafty tactics to try and keep some extra space for themselves.
Earlier this year TikToker Olivia Lynne and her boyfriend deployed another trick in a bid to secure more room on a plane, by taking advantage of people's aversion to children on flights. In a video the creator points her camera towards the empty middle seat of a plane aisle. Sitting on the other side next to the window is her partner cradling what appears to be a very small baby swaddled in a blanket. As becomes clear, it is actually just a jumper wound up to make it look as it there is a little bundle of joy inside.
In the comments beneath the video some people praised the couple for their crafty work, one person dubbing the move "brilliant" and another "a keeper". "He's a genius, I'm taking notes," another fan wrote. Others were a little impressed with the ploy, claiming the trick would not stop them from hopping into the middle seat. "How's that gonna work when someone has to sit there? Because if my ticket says 26-B next to you, I'm sitting in 26-B!" one person pointed out. Another added: "That's the seat I look for. I know parents don't want to be split up so they'll inevitably give up the window or aisle."
