Travelers clash after TSA shares surprising guidance about airport etiquette

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has sparked debate about airport etiquette after recommending that travelers bring hammocks to airports so they can relax during long layovers.

In a recent post marking National Hammock Day, the agency wrote, “Nobody said you couldn’t bring a hammock to the airport.”

It added, “To reduce tension, or to avoid having a falling out with the airport, check with them about where you can and can’t hang your napping apparatus.”

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The post included photos of travelers relaxing in hammocks strung up inside airport terminals.

July 22 marked “National Hammock Day, so we highlighted the occasion on our social media channels,” the TSA told Fox News Digital. 

Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert based in San Antonio and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, said most travelers understand that delays and layovers can be exhausting — but that doesn’t mean personal comfort should come at the expense of others.

“Bringing your own hammock through security for the specific reason of setting up camp is not considerate of others in a tight public space,” Gottsman told Fox News Digital.

She noted that each airport has its own rules and safety policies.

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“Before you get caught stringing up your suspended apparatus between two poles, ask airport staff if there is a safe, out-of-the-way place to hang within the rules of the airport,” Gottsman said.

Permission to use hammocks inside terminals usually depends on individual airport rules and applicable local rules. 

She said most travelers will likely continue choosing an uncomfortable airport chair over turning a terminal into a campsite. 

The post sparked debate online, with some social media users arguing that airports have become too casual.

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“Airports used to be a civilized place,” one user wrote on X.

Others pointed out that the TSA only determines what passengers can bring through security checkpoints.

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“TSA doesn’t control the airport,” one Reddit user wrote. “Every airport will have its own rules.”

Others argued that hanging a hammock inside an airport could create safety concerns or obstruct other travelers.

“I love my hammock, but this would be obnoxious,” one Reddit user wrote.

Some travelers, however, fully embraced the idea.

“I vowed to myself to always travel with my hammock,” one Reddit user wrote after describing using one during a long layover before eventually being asked by airport police to take it down.