Ryanair passenger reveals cunning hack for making a DIY neck pillow on viral TikTok video

A seasoned traveller has revealed an ingenious hack for making a flight more comfortable if you don’t have a neck pillow – fashioning a DIY one from clothing.

Kristen Black from Atlanta, Georgia, uploaded a video to TikTok in which she rolls a jumper around various other items of clothing and then wraps it around her neck in a ‘ta-da’ moment before boarding a Ryanair flight.

The 25-year-old told MailOnline Travel that she used the hack before boarding a plane from Dublin to Paris to make the flight more bearable and to make room in her bag for souvenirs and avoid paying for excess luggage. 

Ryanair passenger Kristen Black from Atlanta, Georgia, uploaded a video to TikTok in which she rolls a jumper around various other items of clothing to form a makeshift travel pillow

She explained: ‘I came up with the idea while sleeping in the airport. My friend Aya and I had been travelling a lot and booking the cheapest flights we could find, which of course are always at odd hours. 

‘I grabbed a sweater from my bookbag to rest my head on, but since we were sleeping somewhat upright in chairs, I needed it to stay around my neck. 

‘I had the idea to throw a few other articles of clothing in it, roll it up, and tie it around my neck to make for a better pillow. 

‘I then realised that this would also be the perfect packing hack, since I had extra bags of souvenirs that I purchased during my trip. I was not sure how I was going to fit it all in my backpack to board the plane. 

‘My initial plan was to wear a bunch of the clothes on the return trip, to make room for the souvenirs, but coming up with the “neck pillow” killed two birds with one stone.’

To date Kristen’s travel hack video, which also shows her stuffing her coat pockets with items and even putting souvenirs under her beanie hat, has been viewed more than 10.2million times. 

To date, Kristen’s TikTok video showing her travel accessory hack has been viewed more than 10.2million times 

The 25-year-old told MailOnline Travel that she used the hack before boarding a plane from Dublin to Paris to make the flight more bearable and to make room in her bag for souvenirs and avoid paying for excess luggage. Ryanair responded to her TikTok clip with a touch of humour, commenting ‘bestie I’m scared’ 

Kristen said that she ‘got some weird looks from other passengers’ but the airline staff didn’t notice her makeshift neck pillow, which apparently worked like a dream for the duration of the flight. She said: ‘It was really convenient since I did not have a pillow. I would do it again not even to save space in my bag, but just to sleep better on the plane’

Ryanair even responded to the clip – and with a touch of humour. It commented ‘bestie I’m scared’, while hundreds of Kristen’s fans thanked her for sharing the tip.

Kristen said that she ‘got some weird looks from other passengers’ but the airline staff didn’t notice her makeshift neck pillow, which apparently worked like a dream for the duration of the flight. 

She said: ‘It was really convenient since I did not have a pillow. I would do it again not even to save space in my bag, but just to sleep better on the plane.’

The freelance graphic designer and content creator, who plans to return to Paris soon, says others should definitely try her hack, perhaps using a pillowcase as an alternative to a jumper.

She concluded: ‘Honestly, I think if you are sitting in the aisle seat you should try it, since you don’t have much to rest your head on. 

‘If you are sitting by the window, I think just bringing a pillowcase would work, like many of my followers mentioned. Stuffing your clothes inside this would probably be even better than my makeshift neck pillow.’