If you've been flying in the last week, you've probably seen someone blocking the security queue for a few seconds too long, photographing the tray where personal items are placed. It's easy to guess that this isn't an isolated incident. Rather, it's a new trend spreading on TikTok that relates to airport aesthetics, but in a Gen Z key. In recent years, we have become accustomed to seeing or posting on social media photos of people sitting cross-legged on suitcases while waiting for a flight, checking the fit of travel outfits, and videos of finger-snapping themselves teleported to the other side of the world. The “airport tray aesthetic”, on the other hand, is made up of designer bags and sunglasses, perfume bottles and eccentric trainers, all carefully arranged in the tray like a still life. Especially now that many airports have introduced new scanning machines that no longer require the contents of bags to be emptied.
Why is everyone taking pictures of airport trays?
The new trend on TikTok is to photograph your personal belongings in the grey trays at security checkpoints.
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- Francesca Critelli
- 14 September 2024
The trend has become so viral that, in order to avoid the queuing problem, there are even those who suggest going to the area immediately after the checkpoint and taking the tray with you, and those who post video tutorials on how to do this at home, using Photoshop to create fake airline tickets.
Seemingly, this is yet another popular trend to show off what you own, not far from the common 'empty bag'. But the focus on an 'aesthetic' photo and the careful choice of details is more reminiscent of a personal moodboard made up of objects that end up becoming an artificial self-portrait.
Somewhere between creativity and exhibitionism, it works so well at the moment that it has attracted the attention of some fashion brands and become a means of promoting their products, also thanks to the neutral background of the typical grey trays.
We know that, like most TikTok trends, this is a passing fad. In the meantime, let's hope that conceptual photography fever doesn't get us stuck in endless queues.