TikTok travel hack for keeping baby in plane seat divides opinion

A viral video suggests using velcro to keep a child in their seat during a flight.

A mother’s TikTok has gone viral as thousands of people debate whether her ‘trick’ for keeping a toddler seated during a flight is genius, cruel or just a joke.

Captioned ‘The best airplane travel hack’, Lisa Flom shared a video of her using velcro strips to keep her toddler strapped to a plane seat to her 825,300 followers. However, not everyone is convinced it’s a good idea.

In the video, Flom attaches two strips of hook and loop fastener (commonly referred to as Velcro) to her small child’s pants. She then attaches two strips to the seat on a plane and plops the baby down.

Clips show the baby trying to climb out of the seat or move around but being held in place by the strips.

The video has been viewed 25.8 million times and almost 5600 people commented on the video, sharing their thoughts.

@ljflommom

The best airplane travel hack #mom #momhack #hack #travelwithkids #kids #travel #baby #toddler #momlife #motherhood #momsoftiktok #fyp #momtok

♬ original sound - Lisa Flom

Many claimed the hack was “genius” as it kept the child in place, which wasn’t just convenient for the parents but safer for the child.

“Definitely will keep the kids from running to and down the aisle,” one person wrote.

“That is one of the most awesome things I’ve seen in a while,” another added, while some viewers asked where they could buy the strips online.

However, not everyone was a fan of the parenting hack. Several claimed an airline’s children’s seat belt is safe and secure enough and extra fastenings would be uncomfortable for the child or simply not work.

“That will result in the baby taking their pants off and running naked around the plane,” one person commented and several said their children would scream if they were stuck in place.

Many said a car seat was a “safer” and easier option for parents who want to keep their children seated during a flight.

“As a mom of 5 who flew all the time just bring a car seat,” one person wrote.

While the seat appeared clean when Flom removed the strips, several pointed out that a sticky residue could be left behind, which would be uncomfortable for future passengers.

“So after you pull it off the next passenger has to sit in the sticky tape residue?” one person wrote, another asking if they paid the crew to remove the residue.

Whether people loved or loathed the tactic, several viewers pointed out that Flom had likely made the video as a joke and didn’t actually velcro her child to the seat.

“LOL at anyone taking this video seriously,” one person wrote. “All these people commenting on the baby’s safety need to wake up and see that this is meant to be funny, not serious!” another commented.

A scroll through Flom’s social media account quickly reveals several videos where Flom uses the sticky strips to keep her toddler on a sofa and on a rolling suitcase when moving through an airport.