Your safety is paramount. So it makes sense that you take precautions while you’re traveling. Though most people know to be careful on the streets and before getting into a taxi, not everyone thinks about their security at hotels.
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US-based flight attendant Allyah McIntyre, @flightattendantbaelee, has gone viral on TikTok after sharing her top tips on staying safe while at hotels, including what to do the moment you enter your room. Scroll down to check out her full video which was viewed a jaw-dropping 8.4 million times, and to see what the internet had to say about her advice. Bored Panda reached out to McIntyre, and she was kind enough to answer our questions about travel safety, as well as going viral on TikTok. "I would just like to remind everyone to get out there and travel fearlessly but never let your guard down. Stay safe!" You'll find our interview with her below.
You shouldn't let your guard down while traveling, whether you're going abroad or just the next town over
Image credits: Gustavo Fring (not the actual image)
US flight attendant Allyah McIntyre recently went viral on TikTok
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
In a video that was viewed more than 8.4 million times, she revealed what her hotel security routine looks like
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
You can watch her full viral video right over here
In another video, she went into detail about why she does all of this
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
As I said before, I do not care how many hotel rooms I go to, I will never stop doing a hotel security search. A very common misconception that was commented on in my last hotel security search video was that I'm paranoid. I'm not paranoid in the least bit. I don't do my hotel security search because I think I'm going to find someone or find something. I do my hotel security search in the rare case that there is someone or something in my room.
She also shared another helpful tip, using a hanger
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
This little hanger trick is a lifesaver if you ever want to keep the curtains completely shut, like completely, do this. And it honestly doesn't matter who you are or what country you live in. You should still have some type of safety precautions when you go into any type of hotel.
Here's the full follow-up TikTok
The woman revealed a few more general travel safety tips in an interview with Bored Panda
1. Stay vigilant!
Image credits: RossHelen (not the actual photo)
"Essential things to keep in mind while traveling solo are: Stay vigilant! Remain under the radar. Don’t give out too much information. Sometimes you might have to create a bit of a fantasy story and that’s okay. I never tell people why I’m actually visiting a place or who I’m actually with or where I’m actually staying. Make something up but nobody really needs to know that."
2. Travel with protection
Image credits: amazon.com
"I’d also recommend traveling with protection; pepper spray, door locks, camera detectors, portable ring cameras, etc."
US-based flight attendant McIntyre told Bored Panda that, in her opinion, her hotel security search resonated with so many viewers because it was eye-opening. "Many people fail to do a hotel room search simply because they don’t even THINK/know about all the reasons why you should," she told us via email.
"I think my video highlights how important it is and gets your wheels turning. I was not expecting so many critical responses but based off what I’ve read, a lot of viewers feel as though I’m paranoid and also projecting my paranoia into others seeing the video. I’d disagree," the TikToker explained.
"I never check my room 'in fear'… I just check it to be safe. To make sure. I’m also not telling anyone what they have to do, just sharing what they should do and what I do."
Image credits: flightattendantbaelee
Bored Panda wanted to hear what advice McIntyre would give someone who's hoping to become a flight attendant in the future.
"To anyone hoping to become a flight attendant in the future, I would just say DO IT. Take the leap but just make sure you do all the research you can prior to making that transition because it’s definitely unlike any other job transition you may have had in the past," she pointed out. "Trust the process. Your wings already exist, all you have to do is fly."
However, working as a flight attendant isn't all glitz and glamor like many people would think. McIntyre said that it's an amazing career, however, it's flawed just like all jobs are.
"I don’t like to share too many personal thoughts on the job because everyone’s path and perception in aviation is soooo different. No two people will ever have the same experiences… but that’s the beauty of it all," she said.
The flight attendant also shared a list of her favorite safety travel gadgets with us. McIntyre urged people traveling solo to always stay vigilant and avoid giving out too much personal information while out and about.
The flight attendant's TikTok started an important discussion online
McIntyre’s video made a huge splash on the internet, however, it divided the internet in two. Many people were incredibly grateful to the flight attendant for sharing her safety hacks. Some others thought that the TikTok content creator might have gone slightly overboard with parts of her routine check.
However, as McIntyre pointed out in her viral TikTok video, she’ll never stop doing her hotel security search. She wants to be thorough and in control of her own safety, which is completely understandable. Moreover, she hopes to remind everyone to stay vigilant even in places where they might not think something bad could happen. It’s about the importance of being aware of your surroundings all the time.
Image credits: korneevamaha (not the actual photo)
While it’s essential to stay on your toes wherever you travel, you shouldn’t let fear mar your entire trip. Try to strike a balance between safety and enjoyment by assessing the risks you might face. For instance, if you know that you’re traveling to a very dangerous country or city, you’ll know to be extremely on guard. On the flip side, even if you’re on a routine trip, you don’t want to completely zone out: don’t automatically assume that everything will be all right, do what’s necessary to stay safe.
According to the World Population Review, the most dangerous places in the world in 2022 were Afghanistan (in 163rd place in terms of safety), Yemen, Syria, Russia, South Sudan, DR Congo, Iraq, Somalia, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Ukraine, North Korea, Libya, Mali, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Turkey, and Colombia.
Meanwhile, the safest countries on Earth include Iceland, New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Hungary, Finland, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Malaysia, Bhutan, and Slovakia. The United States of America ranks 129th in terms of safety.
It is absolutely vital to be aware of your surroundings
Travel safety is a popular niche on TikTok. A while ago, Bored Panda spoke to content creator and safety expert Cathy Pedrayes about traveling abroad. She stressed just how vital it is to be aware of one’s surroundings: "It's something we're probably most aware of when walking through a parking lot late at night or getting cash from the bank, but we should practice awareness regularly," she told us during an earlier interview.
"Don't hesitate to look around you. Who's behind you while you're walking? Next to you? Is there a hazard up ahead like a pothole? Also, awareness goes beyond our physical experiences. Many of us are interacting in our digital worlds more than ever and it's important we're careful with how trusting we are online and teach our children good digital habits,” Pedrayes shared some of her top safety tips.
Image credits: RossHelen (not the actual photo)
According to her, one thing that you should take the time to do is to look up known scams so you know what you’re up against before traveling abroad. You should also read some hotel reviews, look up travel advisories, and consider bringing your own portable lock. Not all hotel doors are going to be secure, and that might depend on the country and city you visit.
“Plan transportation ahead of time (some countries have limited taxis), have copies of your passport and leave a copy with someone back home should yours get lost, [and] communicate your travel itinerary with someone back home,” Pedrayes shared some more tips. She also warned travelers not to wear expensive jewelry or bring designer handbags with them when they’re in high-theft areas.
"Minimize how often you take our expensive electronics like your camera or smartphone. One way I do that is by mapping out locations in advance and downloading the map to my phone as well as getting a rubber watch, so I don't have to take out my phone as often. You can also change the straps on your cameras to something that doesn't show off the brand name," she said.
"Only bring what's necessary and split up your cash so if your wallet is pickpocketed or lost, you don't lose everything. Also keep inventory of what's in your wallet so if anything gets lost, you know who to call to stop credit cards."
Some people thanked the flight attendant for her advice and pointed out why her tips are important
Some internet users shared a few of their own safety tips
