"Embarrassing" travel pillow frequent flyers swear by
When it comes to travelling in economy, looking glamorous usually takes a back seat, with many people prioritising comfort over anything else.
Travelling in cattle class presents its own issues with getting comfy on a plane, especially when sitting in the middle seat.
However, a committed frequent flyer has discovered the "travel hack of the year" with an unusual looking travel pillow that means you can get comfy anywhere.
“When you got the middle seat for a 13-hour plane ride,” wrote adventurer Annie Wright, 23, in the captions of a viral TikTok testimonial dedicated to the strange-looking, yet in-demand inflatable travel pillow.
In the video, which has racked in a whopping 26.6 million views, Ms Wright, a law student in the US, shared footage of herself puffing into the plushy prop that’s offered by Amazon.
For Aussies, you can snag the innovative travel pillow from Kmart for a breezy $18.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d like it and omg SO worth it!” cheered Ms Wright in the clip’s caption. “Total upgrade.”
This new pillow puts the round-the-neck pillows to shame, as the expandable cushion, designed with an ergonomic 45-degree angle, offers support to the head and neck and inflates in just seconds.
Once inflated, users are meant to position the pillow — created with a face cutout at its apex and two arm holes on its sides — on their passenger tray tables and lean forward into a relaxed position.
The hot commodity’s details also noted that it can “help you stay away from injury and insomnia, make you rest more comfortable during the journey, easier to fall asleep, and sleep longer,” according to Amazon.
According to the online Kmart reviews of the product, one traveller said it was “awkward looking” but “really comfortable” and perfect for long-haul flights.
Folks under the #InflatableTravelPillow TikTok hashtag have hailed the headrest the “travel hack of the year.”
However, haters of the portable bedding have deemed it an “embarrassment.”
“My back just hurts watching this,” said one commenter beneath Ms Wright’s post.
“Yeah I have social anxiety I would be too embarrassed to use it,” penned another.
But in response to the criticisms, Ms Wright wrote, “People keep saying this [pillow] is embarrassing, but what’s more embarrassing is being caught with your mouth open just knocked out.”
Image credits: TikTok