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'Genius' plane hack allows passengers to avoid dreaded middle seat — without …
New York Post / VideoElephant
Anyone who gets ear pain while on planes knows how distracting it can be from the joys of travelling.
While chewing gum, sipping of water, or holding your nose are all tried-and-tested methods of alleviating discomfort so you can go back to reading the in-flight mag, TikTok is sharing a flight attendant-approved hack that could change the game - particularly during landing when it's often at its worst.
In a viral video posted by @babygriffin, she shares the words of advice she was given by cabin crew, who say the cups used for serving coffee could be the answer to your woes.
You'll also need a washcloth and some napkins, which should be put at the bottom of the cup.
@babygriffin I owe that girl! Apparently, it’s a trick not alot of people are aware of, because one of the flight attendants on the next plane didnt know what i was talking about when i ordered one for take off (my ear was still plugged)… so i thought id share. #flighthacks #travelhacks #traveltips #earpain #flyingtips #travellife #traveltips #americanairlines @American Airlines ♬ Daft Minaj by Snowdream - Snowdream
Then, ask an attendant for some hot water to get the cloths slightly damp, and then hold the cup over your ear, pressed to the side of your head for full effect.
It's thought that the steam created by the heat is enough to increase blood flow around the ear, and relax your muscles, weakening the pressure.
While it's not medically-approved, a lot of people have commented on how it's helped them.
"Hot cup hack saved me on my flight to Cancun", one person wrote. Another added: "A flight attendant showed me this trick when I was 7 and she saw me sobbing with pain. Life saver!"
If you don't have the supplies to make this hack work, other people in the comments suggested investing in some EarPlane ear plugs. The specially-designed earplugs slow the flow of pressure to your ears, reducing pain.
Happy travels.
It's not the only great bit of advice frequent fliers have been sharing on TikTok, after a content creator shared the hack for securing the best seat on a plane for free. A pilot also recently shared the reason we should all definitely be switching on Airplane mode every time we fly, reassuring people that it is "not a conspiracy".
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