For most grown-ups, flying is a lesson in making peace with discomfort. Unless you have a first-class ticket, you are usually squeezed into a narrow seat, negotiating armrests and trying to find a position that does not make your back regret everything. Add the hum of the cabin and the awkwardness of trying to sleep sitting up, and it is no wonder many people land feeling more tired than when they left.
That is exactly why a TikTok video from creator @elkekahler struck such a nerve. Filmed mid-flight, the clip opens with her wide-eyed, genuinely offended expression, the kind that says she has just witnessed something unfair. Then she turns the camera toward a few small children who have somehow turned economy seating into a cozy sleeping setup.
The kids are stretched out across their seats, tucked under blankets, with bags and luggage acting like makeshift pillows. They are completely out cold, looking far more relaxed than the average adult passenger who spends hours trying to keep their head from bobbing. The contrast is the whole joke, because while grown-ups are trained to sit properly and endure it, kids seem to treat the cabin like a temporary living room.
To make the moment even funnier, the video uses Fergie’s Glamorous as a soundtrack, leaning into the fantasy that these tiny travelers are living a champagne-and-first-class life. The irony lands instantly. These children are not sipping anything fancy, but they are definitely experiencing the kind of comfort many adults would pay extra for.
@elkekahler Practically first class … #flyinghack #firstclass #longhaul #glamorous ♬ Glamorous – Fergie
Unsurprisingly, the comments section turned into a group therapy session for tired flyers. People joked that they needed a tutorial on how to pull off the same sleeping position, even if an adult attempt would end with legs dangling into the aisle and blocking the snack cart. Others admitted they were simply jealous, while one young commenter said they still do it at 19 because they are short enough to make it work.
The whole thing is a reminder that comfort on a plane is often about flexibility, and kids have plenty of it. They curl up without overthinking it, they are not worried about looking strange, and they will use whatever is available to get cozy. For adults, the takeaway is less about copying them and more about borrowing the spirit, which is to prepare for comfort instead of hoping it happens.
Have you ever looked at a sleeping kid on a flight and thought they had cracked the code, and what is your go-to trick for making economy feel a little more bearable? Share your thoughts in the comments.
