Meet the people who are now considered “the most hated people in airports.” In the middle of the chaotic security line, they stop and carefully place their belongings in a security tray. They then photograph the result and post it on social media.
According to Walla, this strange trend now has a name: “Airport Tray Aesthetic.” It’s especially popular on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. It’s mainly Gen Z travelers (those born between the late 1990s and 2012) who are carefully photographing the contents of their airport trays as they pass through the X-ray machines.
It’s not just about photographing random objects, though. These travelers go out of their way to create visually appealing images. They have trays of sunglasses, shoes, toiletries, and books. Instead of crumpled paper or toothpaste, you’ll find things like old film cameras, hiking boots, and limited edition books.
However, this trend is causing major disruption, especially in already tense and crowded security lines. Any small delay can frustrate passengers, and when someone takes the time to set up and photograph their stand, it angers other travelers.
British newspaper Metro even called it a “horrible trend” that risks making you “the most hated person at the airport.”
One TikTok user shared a step-by-step guide, which has already garnered 83,000 likes, on how to do it properly. She advised: “The idea is to take a photo after you go through security. Find a quiet spot and use multiple trays if you can. Why not?”
@_shoppursue starting the girls trip with controlled chaos #airporttray #airportaesthetic #whatsinmybag #packing #pinterestaesthetic #airportstyle #phototutorial #airportdiaries #airportfashion #airportoutfit #ootd ♬ Very Demure Jools House of Evo Remix – CasaDi
However, passengers often need even such “quiet” places to reorganize their belongings after security checks.
Another problem is that many participants of the trend put their shoes in the tray. Airports are far from the most sterile environment and placing shoes in the same trays that others use for personal items is far from ideal.
While many passengers are angered by those lining up to take photos of their tray tables, even the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is aware of the trend.
“We are aware of this. As long as these staged ‘glam shots’ do not cause delays or disturb other passengers, there is no problem. Passengers should take care of their identity documents, passports and any objects that may be lost during this process,” the Office said.
Cursor previously wrote about which beauty trend could cause airport delays.
