A Florida woman sat next to a loudly snoring man on a five-hour American Airlines flight. Instead of getting mad, she posted a TikTok urging the man to get checked out for a potentially dangerous sleep condition. However, viewers are split on whether it’s her place to say something to the passenger.
In a video with 474,000 views, TikToker Hannah Gaborko (@hannahgaborko) holds her head in her hand and looks down at her airplane seat tray table. In the background, a man snores loudly, as though he can’t take a full breath.
Gaborko writes in on-screen text, “To the man who flew on American Airlines on January 18 from MCO to PHX, seated in row 27 seat D: please consult w a doctor about getting a CPAP machine.”
She notes that the man began snoring before the flight took off.
What Is Sleep Apnea? And Why Would He Need A CPAP?
Snoring loudly could be a sign of a condition called sleep apnea, which can cause breathing to become difficult during sleep. The snores may sound like gasps and include long pauses between breaths.
The condition isn’t just annoying for the people who have to listen to the snoring. It could actually be dangerous for the person with sleep apnea, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The condition can ruin your sleep quality, which can also impact heart health over time.
If someone has sleep apnea, their doctor may prescribe a wearable device called a CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure. It keeps air flowing better at night to improve sleep quality and keep oxygen levels where they need to be.
According to SleepApnea.org, qualifying for one of the machines usually involves a sleep study, where a doctor will check out how well someone can breathe on their own at night. These studies can take place in a lab or at home depending on the provider.
Did The TikToker Cross The Line?
While Gaborko shows concern for the man’s potential sleep condition, some commenters disagreed with her posting about it.
“Or you could mind your own business,” one viewer remarked.
“Did u xpect him to plug in on the flight? This is lame!” another said.
A third suggested, “Mind your business. he may be very tired. dang.”
Other viewers with sleep apnea who rely on a CPAP explained how difficult it can be to fly.
“No easy way to use it on an airplane, I’m sorry if I feel asleep, I try not to but it happens,” a commenter wrote.
“THERE ARE NO ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ON A PLANE TO SUPPORT ACPAP MACHINE,” a second exclaimed.
“I plug mine in on the plane but the outlets suck so bad my cord falls out all the time,” another said.
However, some argued that Gaborko did the right thing.
“People saying ‘mind ur business’ like sleep apnea isnt a life threatening issue,” one added.
@hannahgaborko not even airborne yet #american #plane #snoring #headphones
BroBible reached out to Gaborko via Instagram and TikTok direct message for further comment. We will update the story when she responds.