Sleeping on the cabin floor of an airplane – is the TikTok trick allowed?
Anyone who flies wants to be as comfortable as possible – especially on longer flights, many hope for a restful nap. But not everyone can or wants to afford a first-class ticket.
Some passengers are therefore getting creative: One trend, for example, shows travelers pulling their legs up onto the seat, assuming a fetal position, and using the seatbelt to secure themselves. However, experts warn against this method, which promises better sleep but carries health risks .
Now another unusual sleeping position is causing a stir online: A viral TikTok video shows a passenger on a Ryanair flight. He's lying on his back on the cabin floor, his legs propped up at a right angle on the seat, his head tucked under the seat in front of him, taking a nap. The British newspaper " Daily Mail " reported on the curious case in May 2025. According to the video, the man remained in this position for about three hours. It was apparently comfortable.
In the comments, some users praised the ingenuity as "ingenious," while others raised hygiene and safety concerns. We asked the airlines whether this sleeping position is even permitted.
Ryanair itself has not yet commented on the case. Other airlines have responded cautiously but clearly.
When asked, Lufthansa stated that it "generally does not comment on incidents at other airlines." However, for safety reasons, passengers are not permitted to stay outside their seats – unless, for example, they are using a restroom, says spokesperson Michael Lamberty.
Eurowings also emphasizes that passengers are only allowed to leave their seats to use the restroom. Furthermore, passengers are required to remain seatbelt-fastened – "not only for their own safety, but also for that of all fellow passengers in the event of sudden turbulence," explains spokesperson Florian Gränzdörffer. Staying on the ground is therefore not permitted.
Condor offers a similar assessment: A spokesperson states that safety and well-being are their top priority. Therefore, all passengers are required to remain in their seats and fasten their seatbelts throughout the flight—except when using the restroom. This is also communicated in the mandatory in-flight announcements.
Sleeping while sitting is not particularly comfortable for many travelers.
Source: IMAGO/Zoonar
Swiss sees it similarly: "Lying on the floor is not permitted on Swiss for safety reasons," says spokeswoman Meike Fuhlrott. A person lying on the floor, for example, would not be able to reach the oxygen mask in the event of a possible pressure drop.
"We generally ask our passengers to sit down. Lying down is only permitted on seats – and only if this is possible, for example, because an entire row of seats is free," the Swiss spokeswoman continued.
On Swiss, lying down on the seats is only permitted under certain circumstances.
Source: Getty Images
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