A travel expert has revealed the products that airlines can give away for free for any long flight but she noted that they ‘don’t always offer them to you’ and the key to getting them is to ‘ask nicely’.
Summer is the time of year when many people go on holiday. This often means preparing for a trip that involves taking a plane.
Air travel is ideal for reaching exotic destinations that travellers might have been dreaming about for months.
Not many people know that on all long-haul flights, passengers can receive certain items for free regardless of what they paid for their seat.
Rachel Bernabeu is a content creator based in Barcelona who specialises in travel. She recently uploaded a video on TikTok explaining what products passengers could get for free on long haul flights.
Speaking in the clip, she said: “Did you know you can ask for loads of free things on a plane and almost nobody does?” The travel content creator made it clear that she heard this information from a flight attendant and that it applies to all long haul flights.
She added: “All airlines have these things, but they don’t always offer them to you.” For her, the trick is to “ask very nicely”, as she stated in the caption of her TikTok video.
Rachel first spoke about “the classic plane socks”, which are typically very long and “save your feet from freezing.” She also mentions earplugs, emphasising that “if you end up near crying babies or expert-level snorers, these are essential”.
The travel-fan shares that airlines often offer free dental kits containing a toothbrush and small toothpaste, helping you avoid stepping off the plane with bad breath. Likewise, she points out that feminine hygiene products are also available for travellers in case of an emergency.
For parents, Rachel says there are entertainment kits for children, such as colouring books or games. Lastly, the expert disclosed that airlines have extra food, and if there are meals left over after lunch or dinner service, you can ask for them for free.
Rachel’s TikTok video has garnered 212,100 views, more than 5,000 likes and nearly 90 comments in two days.
Some followers have asked if these items are accessible to passengers outside of business class. She assures them that on long-haul flights it is indeed possible, mentioning several airlines in the comments, but clarifies that this is not the case with budget airlines.
Several TikTok users shared details about their own experiences about whether this is true or not, and with which airlines, in the comments section. One said: “Lufthansa offers all that, it’s true.”
Another added: “Emirates gives it its all.” A third commented: “I’ve been to China a couple of times and they only gave us blankets. Iberia from Barajas to London did have paints for the children.”
A fourth chimed in: “Qatar provides it. When we went to Thailand, the service was good.” Other viewers went as optimistic as someone else stated: “Very few airlines do this, and it depends greatly on the countries of departure and destination.” A different user joked: “Now they don’t even say good morning to you.”