A controversial travel technique, shared widely on social media, that aims to guarantee airline passengers a better seat for free is facing significant criticism from fellow travellers who warn it could backfire spectacularly.
The Viral 'Block the Middle' Method
The strategy was detailed in a TikTok video by travel specialist Jorden Tually (@jordentually) in late December 2025. It targets a common frustration: many low-cost carriers automatically assign middle seats to passengers who opt for random seat allocation during check-in, effectively pressuring them to pay extra for a preferred window or aisle spot.
Tually's proposed workaround is deliberate and involves manipulating the airline's booking system. He advises travellers to first check how many undesirable middle seats remain available on their flight at check-in. In his demonstration, he found 10 middle seats free.
The next step is to go to the airline's website and simulate booking those exact seats. "I go straight to the website and pretend to buy 10 more middle seats," Tually explained. Users enter placeholder names—"a bunch of letters"—and proceed to select and hold all those middle seats. The system typically reserves them for 10 to 15 minutes.
During that brief window, the passenger quickly completes their actual check-in. With the middle seats temporarily blocked, the system's algorithm is forced to assign an available window or aisle seat instead. Tually claims the method is "100% successful when done correctly" and advises doing it on a computer as close to the check-in time as possible for maximum effect.
Passenger Backlash and Warnings
While some online commentators praised the hack as a smart way to beat the system, a substantial number of others were quick to highlight its potential negative consequences.
A primary concern is the impact on dynamic pricing. Airlines use complex algorithms that adjust fares in real-time based on demand. Several critics pointed out that artificially making a flight appear fully booked could cause ticket prices to surge. "Don't you know about airlines' dynamic pricing??" questioned one respondent on YouTube. Others estimated it could "spike up cost by 10-20%" or even raise the price by 50% for everyone, including the person attempting the hack.
Further criticism focused on the ethics and practicality. One person commented, "OMG, the self-entitled brigade again. If this does work, everyone will now try it, freezing up loads of seats and could stop genuine people wanting to book that flight." Another warned it could delay the flight: "Now you delayed your flight 10 minutes while they wait for the computer queue to clear so other passengers can select their seats."
A Question of Fairness and Foresight
The debate underscores a broader tension between cost-conscious travellers seeking to avoid fees and the operational realities of modern air travel. While the hack exploits a technical loophole, the backlash suggests many view it as a selfish act that could have wider financial and logistical repercussions for all passengers.
The technique, while clever in theory, carries the risk of inadvertently increasing costs and complicating the booking process. As with many viral life hacks, its perceived short-term gain for the individual is being weighed against potential collective downsides, making it a hotly contested topic for travellers across the UK and beyond.
