Air travel, for the most part, is an exciting experience.
But for the majority of plane passengers who fly economy, the lack of space is arguably the most stressful element.
However, one flight attendant has shared her top tip to help free up more space for those enduring a long flight in standard cabin seats.
Charlie Silver, a TUI cabin crew member, shared on TikTok that there’s a hidden button on aisle seat armrests that allows them to be lifted and moved back.
In the video, posted on her @silvercharlie page in 2023, she shows from an aisle seat how this armrest doesn’t lift as easily as the other armrests in the row.
By sliding her hand to the back underside of the armrest, near the hinge, the UK-based flight attendant presses a button, releasing it so it can be moved back.
This hidden button serves mainly as an accessibility feature for passengers needing boarding or exit assistance, but it also adds comfort for all passengers.
It offers additional space on aisle seats and makes it easier for passengers to move in and out of their seats, whether to stretch their legs or visit the restroom.
Charlie Silver, a TUI cabin crew member, shared on TikTok that there’s a hidden button on aisle seat armrests that allows them to be lifted and moved back.
Sliding her hand towards the back underside of the armrest, near the hinge, the UK-based flight attendant pushed a button that released it from its position, allowing it to be pushed back out of the way
However, it’s generally advised to keep the armrest down during takeoff and landing, and passengers are warned to be mindful of the trolley cart as it can potentially hit an arm or leg as it’s being wheeled through the aisle.
In a follow-up comment, Charlie added that the button is located under armrests on ‘most aircraft types.’
Hundreds of viewers claimed they hadn’t been aware of the button’s existence and expressed their gratitude for the tip.
One person wrote, ‘Nah! Needed to see this at the beginning of the year! Why’s it so hidden,’ while another commented, ‘THANKS FOR MAKING THIS!!!!!’
A third added: ‘I wish I knew about this 3 months ago when I had 6 flights when I went to South Africa.’
However, one person warned, ‘The flight attendants always make me put it down,’ while another said, ‘Watch out for chewies (chewing gum), my brother accidentally touched one.’
It comes as one flight attendant revealed the holiday hotspot with the worst passengers.
Kristina Galvydyte, 32, shared a harrowing story of an altercation that took place at 30,000 feet – declaring it the most traumatic flight of her career.
The hidden button is primarily an accessibility feature for passengers needing assistance to board or exit, but it can also improve comfort for all on board.
Over 400 viewers claimed they hadn’t been aware of the button’s existence and expressed their gratitude for the tip
It involved three groups on stag dos – outnumbering the four members of cabin crew.
‘It was just absolute chaos, they were screaming,’ Kristina told The Telegraph, ‘Imagine a night out in any British town at midnight on a Friday. It was like that.’
Of course, this wasn’t a post-boozing brawl spilling out of a pub – it was mid-flight, on the way from Edinburgh to Alicante, in southeastern Spain.
She shared that one group on board became ‘verbally abusive’ after cracking into their duty-free drinks – something that is prohibited.
Following this, a fracas began when another group ‘took offence’, according to The Telegraph.
