A New York City-based TikToker says she exercised her “free will” by bringing a whole rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods on a recent flight. But not everyone is onboard with this type of behavior, citing plane passenger etiquette.
In her first and most viral video on the matter, TikToker Chloe Gray (@chloe.ggray) says she has a hack for giving herself “first-class experience without paying for first class.”
“Let me show you,” she says before whipping out a whole, cold rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods. She is standing in an airport gate in John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“I gotta get my protein in the flight,” she says. “I hate buying airport food, so I usually just try to pack, like, a salad or something. And I didn’t have time, so I was like, let me just get, like, a whole chicken from Whole Foods.”
“And this is gonna hold me over for, like, the entire day,” she continues. “Pretty much. That’s what’s in my bag for my flight.”
@chloe.ggray one thing about me is I’m going to have a culinary experience regardless of the setting #nyc #neeyorkcity #tsa #tsaprecheck #jfk #jfkairport #rotisseriechicken #wholefoods ♬ original sound – chloé
Can you bring food through TSA?
Gray says she “got pulled aside by TSA” for the rotisserie chicken. While a whole chicken may raise a few eyebrows and potentially get you flagged at TSA, it is permitted. Just make sure you drain the chicken of any juices that are often at the bottom of the plastic bag.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), “Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags.”
The TSA site notes that “TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine. Travelers are encouraged to organize their carry-on bags and keep them uncluttered to ease the screening process and keep the lines moving.”
What do viewers think?
Gray’s video garnered 420,000 views since she posted it on Friday. Viewers felt like Gray violated the unspoken rules of plane passenger etiquette.
“Someone sitting next to me on a plane pulling out a rotisserie chicken would be my last straw,” the top comment reads.
“I fear I’ve never sided with tsa before this,” another said.
In Gray’s latest video on the rotisserie chicken saga, she eats the chicken with plastic cutlery—right from the bag—while in her seat on the flight. In the comments on this video, viewers shared that this is actually the norm for flight crew.
“LMFAOO I’ve done this so many times as crew but I’ve never seen a passenger do this … I’d pass u my ketchup /BBQ sauce,” one viewer shared.
Another said, “As a flight attendant this is how I eat on the plane too lol.”
“As a flight attendant eating the galley yes. As a passenger I would NEVER!!!” a third flight attendant shared.
Tasting Table spoke with an etiquette expert and former flight attendant about plane food etiquette. The expert said it’s best to avoid foods on planes that are smelly, messy, or noisy to eat.
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