A request from a stranger at the airport turned into a debate about travel safety, social norms, and whether saying “no” makes you a bad person. The answer to the question may depend on who you ask.
TikToker MEGS (@megsdeangelis), a New York-based beauty and travel influencer with 1.5 million subscribers, posted a 11-second video that has since drawn more than 1.8 million views.
The clip shows her sitting in an airport lounge, drinking bottled water, looking slightly annoyed. A text overlay tells the story: “This man just asked if I could watch his bag and I said ‘no’ because it’s not allowed and then the girls next to me volunteered and now I feel like a freak.”
Her caption added one more detail: “came back in 30 seconds too #andhewascute.”
The comment section quickly became a symposium on airport law and etiquette, with many viewers insisting that MEGS had followed the rules.
“As a flight attendant you did the right thing,” wrote LeaRtr.
“Noooo at an airport it is a very acceptable time to say no,” wrote another user.
Flight attendant Haley agreed, writing, “I always say ‘no’ lol and people always ask me because I’m a flight attendant. But sorry, you don’t know me!! Don’t trust me!!”
Another commenter who identified herself as a flight attendant, Nunya Business, wrote, “I’m literally a flight attendant and I would never watch somebody’s bag or ask somebody else to watch mine.”
User bree echoed the general sentiment: “That rule amongst other airline rules are written in blood.”
MEGS said she declined because “it’s not allowed,” and many commenters echoed that claim. Several insisted it was “federally illegal.” But the real regulatory picture is more nuanced than the comment section suggests.
There is no federal law or Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulation that specifically prohibits a passenger from watching another passenger’s bag.
What the rules do prohibit is leaving your own bags unattended. Under the law, airport security programs are required to post public advisories warning passengers to maintain control of their belongings at all times. Unattended bags are subject to search, inspection, and removal.
The standard airport announcement we hear in roughly 85% of domestic airports reinforces this: “Please maintain control of your personal belongings at all times. Unattended baggage is subject to search, inspection, damage, and removal.”
In other words, the obligation falls on the person who left the bag, not the bystander.
However, the TSA does discourage the practice as a matter of general security guidance.
Sheldon H. Jacobson, a University of Illinois professor who contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, told TODAY.com, “The general rule is: Don’t take custody of anyone else’s bag. You didn’t pack the bag. You didn’t know what’s in it.”
Jacobson did note however that once passengers are on the sterile side of security, “there is a little bit more wiggle room that passengers use.” He described the whole system as “a self-policing process by the passengers themselves.”
Even if it isn’t illegal, watching a stranger’s bag does come with practical risks. If the bag triggers a security response, the person sitting next to it will face questions. If valuables go missing from the bag while the owner is away, the watcher could be accused. And if the bag contains contraband, being the person in possession of it is not where anyone wants to be.
Commenter Beth, who said she worked in a shop inside an airport terminal, described what happens when bags are found unattended: “We had to report every bag we found with no owner. It would then get swabbed for explosives before it could be given back to the individual.”
Bea, who identified herself as an illustrator, shared a cautionary experience: “I said ‘yes’ once and the guy took forever and I forgot about it. A person reported it and caused a commotion. I got scared because I didn’t want to explain that I agreed to watch it for a stranger, but then the guy finally came back and had to argue with security.”
Not all of the debate was about regulations. The most-liked comment on the entire video, with 18,300 likes, came from Njxoxo, who wrote simply, “A man asking—immediately no lol.”
Via email, MEGS told BoardingArea, “I didn’t really know if it was allowed or not, I just said that in case. But If it was a girl, I would have watched her bag.”
Some commenters thought the whole thing was overblown. User shinyhachi wrote, “I’m too European for this.” Commenter Nic agreed, “As a Canadian I could never say ‘no’ lol.”
User Emmawillow wrote, “I always say ‘yes,’” to which MALAMARAWARA replied, “see you on the news.” After Emmawillow pointed out that she’d been doing it for 20 years without incident, MALAMARAWARA responded, “Only takes one.”
Context Matters found the middle ground, writing, “I just say I’m a space cadet so they don’t want me watching it. But leave it there, sure, your call.”
Watching a stranger’s bag at the airport is not illegal, but the TSA discourages it, and airports constantly remind passengers to keep their belongings with them. The practical downsides of saying ‘yes’ might outweigh the social awkwardness of saying ‘no.’
MEGS may have felt like a freak, but the regulations—and most of her 1.8 million viewers—suggest she made the right call.
@megsdeangelis came back in 30 seconds too #andhewascute ♬ Souvenir De Paris – Martin Taylor
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