‘Now Everyone’s Looking At Me’: Woman Says Passenger Asked Her To Watch His Luggage At LAX. He Didn’t Expect Her To Swiftly Decline

With checked bags becoming more expensive than ever, it can be tempting to try to manage an entire trip using just one carry-on.

While this is certainly possible, it can also open the door to specific issues. For example, what do you do when you’re at the airport and need to run to the bathroom? Do you try to fit your overflowing bag into the tiny airport stall? Or do you ask someone at the gate to keep an eye on your belongings?

If you considered the latter, the internet would like to have a word with you. An internet user’s response to this simple request has social media talking—and wondering what exactly you’re supposed to do if someone asks you to watch their bag.

What Happened To This Woman At The Airport?

In a video with over 669,000 views, TikTok user Nikki (@notnikki.414) shows herself sitting at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“This guy at lax asked me to watch his bag and i said no bc they TELL U NOT TO DO THAT OVER THE INTERCOMS,” she writes in the text overlaying the video.

“and anyway someone else watched his bag and now everyone’s looking at me like im the a–hole….oopsies,” she continues.

In the caption, she adds, “like idk man my b?”

Should You Watch Someone’s Bag At The Airport?

Anyone who’s ever been to an airport is familiar with the announcements about unfamiliar bags. Generally, these announcements refer to unattended baggage. For example, an airport may ask passengers to report unattended bags or to not leave their own bag unattended.

Often, these announcements do not specifically forbid one from briefly watching someone else’s bag. They may warn flyers about “carrying a foreign object” for someone you don’t know or transporting any item for a stranger, but they won’t tell you not to watch someone’s bag for them.

So, should you? That’s a matter of debate.

In August 2025, a user on TikTok went viral after claiming that someone refused to watch her bag when she went to the bathroom. Speaking to TODAY, airport security expert Dr. Sheldon H. Jacobson responded to the video by saying that he understands the hesitation some may feel when asked to watch someone else’s bag.

Overall, he says that it’s in one’s best interest to not watch a stranger’s bag, no matter how briefly.

“The general rule is: Don’t take custody of anyone else’s bag,” Jacobson told TODAY. “You didn’t pack the bag. You didn’t know what’s in it. If the bag is brought to the attention of authorities, they’re going to ask you a lot of questions, and you can become, in some sense, part of the problem.”

Are There Any Cases Where This Has Gone Wrong?

The internet is filled with anecdotes involving people who have agreed to watch other people’s bags, only for the offer to quickly go south.

For example, if you leave your bag with someone, there’s no guarantee that they’ll still be there when you return. They could leave the bag unattended, resulting in it getting taken by security. Alternatively, they could steal the bag.

On the other side, if someone leaves their bag with you, the issues could range from minor to life-changing. They could disappear for a long time, causing you to nearly miss your flight. The bag may also contain something suspicious or belong to someone dangerous. If security sees that you’re in possession of the bag, you may find yourself explaining the situation to airport security.

The U.S. government has specifically warned travelers about “bag watching” scams. In a post on X, @TravelGov lays out the scam as follows: “[A] stranger asks you to watch his bag, leaves, returns with police or someone posing as police. The bag may contain drugs/illegal items. Scammers then extort money in exchange for police to overlook the incident.”

In short, whether you want to watch someone else’s bag at the airport is your decision—but it’s probably best to avoid it when possible.

Commenters Say She’s Right To Not Watch The Bag

In the comments section, users largely agreed that it was in Nikki’s best interest to not watch the stranger’s bag.

“Working in public safety, you were 100% correct in this situation,” declared a commenter.

“Someone once asked me and I said yes. Then I hear on the intercom ‘if someone asked you to watch their bag say no,’” recalled another. “He was gone for a while. I was scared he had something in that bag. I was sweating for like 25 minutes.”

“As I saw someone else say airports are very strict about bags being left behind,” offered a third. “It’s so easy to bring it with you too, no reason you should leave your bag when going to get food or to the bathroom imo.”

BroBible reached out to Nikki via TikTok direct message and comment.