Samantha Brown's Important Rule For Taking A Nap On A Plane In The Aisle Seat
When it comes to traveling, airplane etiquette rules are essential to ensure that everyone has a pleasant experience at 30,000 feet. From who actually gets the middle seat armrest to the do's and don'ts of storing your luggage in the overhead bin, there are plenty of unspoken rules that passengers should try and keep in mind in order to avoid any unnecessary confrontations. Because, the truth is, most of these seemingly innocent faux pas can easily spark disagreements in the cramped (and often stressful) confines of an airplane cabin.
Enter: Samantha Brown. Beloved travel expert and television personality — known for her shows on the Travel Channel and PBS — Brown's decades of globetrotting experience have made her a go-to source for all things travel, vacationing, and adventure. From raving about her favorite Caribbean island to discussing her most bizarre in-flight habit and sharing her tips on how to pick the best destination for a day trip, Brown has plenty of suggestions to help you enjoy your trip — no matter the destination ... or the mode of transportation. In a recent video uploaded to her TikTok account, Brown is tackling yet another common air travel conundrum: the etiquette of napping in the aisle seat. Her advice? It's all about setting clear expectations and openly communicating with your seatmates.
Mastering aisle seat etiquette
According to Samantha Brown's video, which currently has over 97,000 views on the platform, the easiest and most polite way to handle aisle seat napping is to simply let your seatmate know you're totally fine with them waking you up if they need to use the toilet. That way, they won't feel like they're interrupting your rest or being rude if they need to get up, and you won't feel like you might be inconveniencing them (or their bladder) by getting some shut-eye during your flight.
@samanthabrowntravels As the aisle seat i like to take the lead on how we are going to treat one another for the flight. Im not a talker tho...plane time is me time. #aisleseat #manners #kindness #airtravel
Other travelers were quick to praise and agree with the TV host's tip. A comment from user @felicisphoenix, for example, outlined just how uncomfortable it feels when you don't know how someone will react in the same scenario. They wrote, "I stress about when I can duck out to the bathroom everytime I see them gearing up to sleep ...", with a quick reply from Brown herself who agreed and went on to add that even she gets "so much bathroom anxiety!" when that happens. Chiming in as well, @onthewindsback admitted they were "flabbergasted someone was being considerate" when this happened to them on their most recent flight. Similarly, plenty of commenters admitted they'd never thought of doing this, but that they were going to start implementing it themselves.