‘It’s dangerous advice’: Flight attendant reveals why airline passengers should ignore TikTok travel ‘hack’ of wearing seat belts around ankles ‘for comfort’

TikTok videos recommending airline passengers put their seat belts on their ankles have become a trend, some of which have racked up hundreds of thousands of views and likes.

But a flight attendant said this advice ‘is the last’ [cabin crew] want to see it go viral” – because it is a “dangerous” tip.

TikTokers who have touted the alleged joy of fastening the seatbelt at the bottom of the legs during flights include the 26-year-old New York City-based influencer Lauren Wolfe.

The content creator posted a clip where she has her feet on the seat and the seat belt around her ankles with the caption: ‘to the girl who said you should put your seat belt around your ankles instead of around your waist to be more comfortable are…I owe you my life’.

It was viewed more than 193,000 times and attracted comments such as ‘OMG, so excited to try this’ and ‘this looks so fun’.

Lauren Wolfe posted a TikTok in which she has her feet on the seat and the seatbelt around her ankles with the caption: “to the girl who said you should put your seatbelt around your ankles instead of around your waist to be more comfortable.. .I owe you my life.’ Lauren’s post was viewed more than 193,000 times and received comments like “OMG so excited to try this” and “this looks so fun.”

Another TikToker, who posts using the handle ‘helens_princessdiaries‘, published a similar video, entitled ‘best flight hack ever’. This received 1,650 likes.

TikToker ‘mychellelynda’ followed along with her single seat belt video collecting 401,000 likes.

But Jay Robert, a flight attendant who runs the popular Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge network, told MailOnline Travel: ‘The thing about seat belts is that they actually play a very important role in air travel safety, for example by preventing your head from hitting the ceiling.

“In theory it may seem like an innocent travel tip, but from the perspective of safety professionals who have seen the injuries resulting from an aircraft hitting unexpected clear air turbulence, [wearing seatbelts around ankles] is dangerous and can cause serious damage to your head, neck and spine.

“This dangerous advice is the last thing we want to go viral. I think most cabin crew, myself included, if we saw you sleeping that well and the seat belt sign was on, we would wake you up and tell you to wear the seat belt properly.

“Turbulence is no joke and can occur without notice and can come very hard.”

Travel expert Lucia Polla (above) said: ‘I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous this practice is [ankle seatbelts] is’

Nicky Kelvin, editor at The points managreed.

He told MailOnline: ‘Seat belts on aircraft and other modes of transport are installed to be worn correctly and are vital to keeping passengers safe in the event of an emergency.

‘As turbulence becomes more common on flights, properly wearing a seat belt – low and tight across your lap – can help keep yourself and those around you safe.’

Lucia Pollaa travel expert specializing in southern Spain, added her thoughts and revealed that a locked seat belt saved her from injury during an episode of turbulence over the Pacific Ocean.

She said: ‘Take it from someone who has logged countless miles in the air – I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous this practice is [‘ankle seatbelts’] is. During a flight over the Pacific Ocean we encountered an unexpected thunderstorm, and within seconds we fell thousands of feet. Only my locked seatbelt kept me from crashing into the cabin ceiling. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had only had the strap around my weak ankles. I understand the desire for a more relaxing flying experience, but your comfort should never come at the expense of your safety.”

Michael Donovan, the co-founder of StayNewEngland.com and the holder of a degree in biology, added: ‘The sky is no place for risky behavior, especially when it comes to something as crucial as properly fastening your seat belt.

“I can’t stress enough how this new TikTok trend of fastening seat belts around the ankles instead of the waist is not only a harmless prank, but also a potential safety hazard.

“I’m not here to be the fun police. But think twice before jumping on this trend. Focus your energy on enjoying your flight safely with quality in-flight entertainment or getting to know your seatmate better. 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 to the ground and enjoy your flight the right way.”