TikTok's Airport Aesthetic Trend Will Annoy TSA Agents If Done Incorrectly

A true artist can create a masterpiece using any type of medium. For instance, an exquisitely decorated cake is an expression of the creativity of the cake decorator. A beautifully arranged bouquet of flowers is a demonstration of a talented florist, and a piece of clay can be transformed by gifted hands at the potter's wheel. A new medium has emerged as a way for some artists to create a tapestry of colors, textures, and design elements. The canvas for this self-expression just happens to be a simple gray bin found in every TSA airport security line. The trend has taken over TikTok, and an amazing array of personal accessories are now being displayed in an endless variety of designs. While the trend is seen by some as a new art form, this kind of self-expression will be rapidly extinguished if TSA agents notice that it's taking place before a customer has gone through screening.

@natbco

*Aesthetic* TSA tray photos, wherein people neatly arrange their belongings in x-ray bins, are blowing up. Some people take them at the airport, others are recreating them at home with their own bins. I asked a spokesperson for #TSA whether they have any issue with the photos. They said as long as you're not holding up the line at security, you're probably be fine. Thoughts??

♬ original sound – Natalie B. Compton

The only correct way to indulge in this new aesthetic is to wait until after you've finished your TSA screening to arrange your items in a beautiful way. Natalie B. Compton, a travel reporter for the Washington Post, posted a TikTok that describes the popularity of this current trend, and she also explains how TSA agents feel about it. According to Compton, TSA considers the trend to be "pretty harmless" and will not prohibit travelers from taking pictures of their belongings. However, it will not be tolerated if it causes any delays. If this is ever the case, passengers will need to wait and take their pictures later.

The purpose of designing an airport aesthetic tray is not to demonstrate how to travel light or pack your bags more efficiently for a trip. It won't offer any tips on how to skip long TSA lines at Seattle's busy Sea-Tac Airport, for example. In fact, the opposite is sometimes true. In an effort to create the right aesthetic, it's often necessary to unpack items from their bags that wouldn't ordinarily need to be separated from a suitcase. These items are included to create a theme or to color-coordinate the right accessories. Makeup, perfume bottles, jewelry, and eyewear are some of the items that create the right ambiance and support the theme of the aesthetic.

While some may say that artistic expression should never be stifled, the travelers in line behind an artist who has chosen to use a security bin as a blank canvas may have other thoughts. However, it's customary now for those who want to participate in this trend to do so after they've finished the traditional screening, demonstrating thoughtfulness for the passengers behind them. At the same benches where other travelers are tying their shoes and repacking their belongings, many are now designing their own personal vignettes and telling their stories within a modest gray bin. Compton notes in her TikTok, "Some content creators actually bought these bins to have at their house and are doing them at home," where they have more time to curate their designs away from the stress of the airport security environment.

A study conducted by Upgraded Points in 2023 listed several airports in the United States that had the longest security lines, including an estimated wait of 60 minutes at a peak times at Newark Liberty International. It's a fact that the airport security experience can be stressful, and many comments on Compton's TikTok observed that this trend is an example of a popular pastime to avoid while waiting for a flight. One comment by Kelsey states, "tsa is a speed and precision mission," while LevaOrel observes, "My bins are always a hot mess. Throw it in and go." Others point out the fact that with TSA PreCheck, it's not necessary to remove your shoes, and some members don't even use a bin. "And this is why I have pre-check," one person writes, while another states, "The way none of my travel stuff is cute enough for this hahaha."

Yet the truth is that as long as content creators wait until after the security line to create their photos, it won't affect other passengers or increase their wait times. Many remarks on Compton's post refer to the fact that these TikToks are made at home with bins that have been bought online. As with any other form of artistic expression, who knows whether the airport aesthetic tray will endure and become a lasting legacy? If this is the case, there may be a lot of gray bins under the Christmas tree in the future.