Passenger wins praise for ‘genius’ airbed travel hack when sleeping in airports

This person is living the dream: Passenger spotted on airbed at departures. Photo / I Heart Cabin Crew, Facebook

Sleeping in airports is no easy task. You might catch a snooze on a metal departure lounge seat the face of long layovers, and late flights - if you’re lucky.

This passenger wasn’t taking any chances.

Shared to the I Heart Cabin Crew forum, a traveller has won praise for his dedication to dozing, bringing a full size inflatable air mattress as carry on luggage.

Waiting for the 7:20pm departure from Orlando to Atlanta international the passenger was pictured sleeping on the airbed next to the gate, with the caption “This person is living the dream”.

Having garnered over 4000 likes and 1000 comments the “genius” travel hack attracted praise - but also a fair share of jealousy.

“Actually genius, after my last 5 hour layover and my almost 19 hour day of travel I would have loved this even just to relax and put my feet up.”

More critical comments branded the airbed as “selfish” pointing out the amount of room he took up.

“Great idea except he is blocking four seats.”

Others commented that the somnolent traveller looked like a deep sleeper.

“I wonder if he slept right through the entire loading process,” they pondered.

This person is living the dream: Passenger spotted on airbed at departures. Photo / I Heart Cabin Crew, Facebook

Which are the best and worst airports to sleep at?

Sleeping in an airport is sometimes a necessity and not always the choice of the passenger.

For the past decade “Sleeping in Airports .net” has been compiling an annual list of the best and worst airports to sleep in.

“Sure, it may sound a little cheap and degrading at first,” says the rankings website but sleeping in airports is about a travel community just trying to make long layovers a little more bearable.

Compiled by a survey of travellers - determined not to fork out for airport hotels - it aims to share the best places to get some shuteye between flights.

In the latest rankings the airport packing “Z factor” was Changi Singapore, voted as the best airport to sleep in, followed by Seoul Incheon, and Helsinki International in third.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz International in Jeddah was bottom of the pile.

“You may want to cross your fingers for a long layover or delayed flight at Singapore Changi Airport,” said one passenger review.

Meanwhile not even an air mattress could help JED which was dubbed “the most horrendous airport in the history of aviation”.

Since 2020 the Sleeping in Airports awards have been taking a rest during the pandemic.