Some people love the perks of flying Southwest Airlines, like the two free checked bags and the frequent sales. But if you’ve ever flown Southwest, you know the struggle that comes with grabbing the perfect seat. Arguably, the best seat on the plane is not about whether it’s in the back or the front, it’s the one where no one is sitting next to you. But because of Southwest’s cattle call seating arrangements, whether that middle seat is taken is a game of roulette. Which has led some people to go to creative lengths to keep someone from sitting by them — including by seeming like the creepiest seatmate ever. Zach Prengler has another method that he posted on TikTok that he says was a success.
zachprengler/TikTok
Southwest Passenger Creates a Fake Person to Keep Anyone From Sitting Next to Him
@zachprengler And it worked 😈 #fyp #foryoupage #trending #southwestairlines #flying #airplane #travel #lifehack #lifehacks #lollapalooza ♬ Making the Plane (Instrumental) – John Williams
Prengler’s ghost passenger video has racked up over two million views. One commenter, who claimed to be a Southwest flight attendant, gave him points for creativity.
“I’m a flight attendant for Southwest and I’ve never seen this one!” JD Bynum commented.
If you’re considering trying this out, there’s a few things to remember. First, you’ll need to make sure you’re in an early boarding group so you can have time to get your second passenger all set up, so be sure to check in early. Second, try to keep your “friend’s” face away from the aisle, to keep people from catching on. But to be honest, flights are overbooked all the time, so don’t be surprised if your flight is full and you’re required to sit next to someone. And if you’re easily embarrassed, it probably won’t be fun when the flight attendant figures out why they’re one seat short. 