Travel ‘essential’ I’ll never use on a flight
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If you look around the airport and watch passengers as they’re boarding a long-haul flight, you’ll likely spot many of these strapped to bags or already draped over shoulders.
The travel pillow has for many become an absolute essential to have on a plane, even if simply to avoid the lacklustre cushions provided by airlines.
You'll see many travellers with these strapped to their bags. iStock
However, even as someone who has flown regularly over the years, I’ve never been able to see them as anything but annoying to lug around and supremely uncomfortable.
And I’m not just looking from afar either. I’ve tried a handful of different styles and designs. Some memory foam, some more traditional.
Some had a more rubbery cover, others with a velvet or silk finish.
Sadly, none have ever come close to providing me with any more comfort than I can get from something as basic as a scrunched up jacket.
They may look as if they would help but for me, it feels uncomfortable. iStock
Tiffany Hawk, a former flight attendant, said many travellers are often burdened by the wrong travel pillows.
She said she’s often seen travellers “consciously or subconsciously” sabotage their comfort on long-haul international flights by making this mistake.
“Many forget to test out their bulky neck pillows before packing them for a flight,” she wrote in Business Insider.
“Some people swear by those classic U-shaped neck pillows.”
“More often than not, though, I’ve seen passengers schlep them all over the world only to hang them up on the plane after finding them uncomfortable.”
“Before you burden yourself with such a bulky addition to your carry-on, test the pillow at home to make sure it’s a good fit.”
Instead, I use a rolled up jacket or the pillow supplied by the airline. Getty
It’s not the first time an airline worker has called out the supposed travel necessity either.
Former cabin crew member for AirBaltic, Kristine Eksteine-Nizka explained that despite the popularity of neck pillows, they’re something she would “never pack”.
“One thing that I’ve seen a lot of travellers recommend, but I, as an ex-flight attendant, would never pack, is a travel pillow,” she told Apartment Therapy.
“They’re really bulky and not comfortable at all,” she added.
