Two creative sisters, Haley and Tina Dreher, recently shared a hilarious yet genius travel hack to prevent other passengers from taking the middle seat between them on a Southwest Airlines flight from San Francisco. The Dreher sisters, faced with an open-seating policy and a nearly full flight, decided to pull off a crafty trick using a sweatshirt and a neck pillow to create the illusion of an occupied middle seat.
In a viral TikTok video that garnered over 27 million views, Haley Dreher captured the moment when they fashioned the DIY dummy. The makeshift passenger, made out of a sweatshirt and neck pillow draped over Tina’s arm, appeared convincingly real, with Tina even showcasing some amateur ventriloquist skills to make it seem like the seat was already taken. The two sisters took their act a step further by pretending that the faux passenger was feeling under the weather, adding a humorous touch to their clever ploy.
Despite the unconventional nature of their tactic, the Dreher sisters disclosed that their plan “almost worked,” recounting how they interacted with the imaginary passenger throughout the flight, much to the amusement of their fellow travelers. Tina shared with Storyful, “We acted as though it was a real person, which had us and our neighbors laughing uncontrollably!”
The inventive sisters’ video quickly gained traction, drawing praise from viewers for their creativity and Tina’s entertaining ventriloquism skills. Comments flooded in, with one person admitting, “I actually thought it was a real person before she turned it around,” while a flight attendant commended the sisters, saying, “As a flight attendant for this airline, I laughed and applaud you for your creativity.”
Encouraged by the positive feedback, other travelers chimed in with their own quirky strategies for securing an empty row during flights. One user shared a similar approach, revealing, “My husband and I do this. We don’t make eye contact with a soul, and get into a heated discussion until doors close.” Another viewer added, “That’s creative. My friend grabs the barf bag and rocks back and forth,” underscoring the lengths people go to in pursuit of a more comfortable journey.
Amidst the mundane routine of air travel, the Dreher sisters’ inventive solution injected a dose of humor and lightheartedness into the experience, resonating with many who have found themselves in similar predicaments. Their resourcefulness not only entertained fellow passengers but also sparked a conversation about the creative ways individuals navigate the challenges of flying, offering a refreshing perspective on an otherwise routine aspect of travel.
