Flight attendant Haley Michelle Williams, shared her personal checklist on TikTok for when she’s staying at hotels that aren’t exactly 5-star.
As of last Friday, according to Newsweek, “the viral TikTok video amassed over 13 million views and more than 8,000 comments.”
Some users questioned why the airline would put anybody, especially a woman traveling alone, in a sketchy accommodation.
One person wrote, “with how much airfare is, y’all should be somewhere…safe?!?” Another added, “what AAG carrier has the nerve to make y’all THIS unsafe?”
Williams was quick to say the airline wasn’t at fault in a follow up video.
She gets a $250 monthly stipend “for commuter hotel costs in her base city,” but decided she didn’t want to blow through that in one week. So she went with a cheap hotel in Ohio.
1. Williams Needed A Place To Stay For A Few Nights
Williams booked a few nights in a cheap hotel in Ohio for work.
Newsweek reported that “the property was sketchy, but she didn’t check out. Instead, she used the stay as an opportunity to share some safety tips with her TikTok followers.”
2. What Were Her Tips?
Immediately lock the door: Usually, Williams explained, she’d put her suitcase in the door while examining the room. But because the hotel was questionable, she locked the door on arrival.
Check mirrors: This seems peculiar, but Williams had an explanation. She “looked under her bed and conducted a ‘mirror test.'”
“No space—leave this place,” she said.
Newsweek explained, “the phrase refers to the belief that one can distinguish regular mirrors from two-way mirrors by looking for a gap between an object and its reflection. Some believe that if there is a gap, then the mirror is ‘regular’.”
3. What Were Some Other Tips?
Make sure the phone works: This is so important in the event of an emergency.
Williams explained, “typically, I would use my cellphone, but if anything ever happened, then I know that the hotel room phone is working as well.”
Put a remote on the door handle: This is another peculiar tip, but Williams swears by it. If somebody tries to turn the handle, the remote will fall and wake you up.
Williams experienced that scare before. “Thank God that remote was there because it definitely fell, and I woke up to see a shadow under my door running away.”
Close the curtain and block the peephole with tissue: These are self explanatory.
4. Flight Attendants Are Always On The Go
Naturally, being a flight attendant means you are never in one place for long.
Newsweek explained, “commuting flight attendants don’t live in the cities they’re based in, meaning they have to find a place to crash when spending the night in their base cities.”
“In many cases, flight attendants stay in shared spaces called crash pads- hostels for airline workers. When crash pads aren’t available, flight attendants must book hotel rooms or Airbnbs.”