“Intrusive Thoughts Won”: Stranger Decides To Braid Woman’s Hair While She Slept On The Plane

A Virginia woman landed in Los Angeles, California, with a little unwanted art piece hidden in her hair — and now she’s demanding answers.

Danielle, who goes by @real.danieb on TikTok, boarded her early morning American Airlines flight on March 15, departing from Charlotte, North Carolina. But when she arrived at her AirBnB, ready to wind down and take a shower, she realized a fellow passenger had decided to braid her hair while she was asleep. 

The content creator then posted a now-viral clip that has amassed more than 600K likes as she detailed the bizarre incident, telling the culprit that it’s time to come forward.

A woman on a flight landed in Los Angeles to discover that a passenger behind her had braided her hair while she slept

A woman in a pink top seated in a dimly lit restaurant, involved in a viral video story about her hair being braided by a stranger.

Image credits: realdanieb

“I’m only listing specifics because I want this person to know that I know who you are, alright?” she began, citing that she had boarded at 7AM with the main cabin and took her seat in 22F, which was right beside the window. 

“You sat directly behind me… in row 23F,” she concluded. “Let’s talk about it.” 

Danielle stated to viewers that it’s common for her to “hibernate” during the majority of her trips, “knocking out” as soon as the plane takes off — especially for this trip, considering she had started her day at 2:30 in the morning.

But then she was awoken by something that sounded like a camera shutter going off behind her. 

Woman discussing a viral video about her hair being braided by a stranger on a flight.

Image credits: real.danieb

Airline boarding pass for a flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles displayed over a woman's torso.

Image credits: real.danieb

There was an initial wave of confusion since the window blinds around her were all down, but she didn’t pay much attention to it, “because if you want to take pictures on a plane, that’s none of my business. I’m just trying to get to my destination.”

However, she then realized the sound was “literally right in my ear” and suspected that it was the passenger behind her taking pictures of her hair. 

“Why did you do that?” Danielle asked. “I need answers on why you did that. I was deeply disturbed.”

Not only that, but the braid was reportedly so tight that she needed to get a specific comb to take it out of her wig.

She suspected that she had woken up to the sound of the passenger taking pictures of her hair after the braid was done

Woman reveals her braided hair, looking surprised after a flight.

Image credits: real.danieb

She added, “Don’t touch people’s head, or people while they’re asleep. It’s weird, and it’s creepy. Don’t touch people in general that you don’t know.”

The comments section of her video proved that others would’ve been equally upset if the same thing happened to them.

“That is absolutely insane,” one user wrote, whose comment earned more than 26K likes. “Are we not respecting boundaries anymore ??”

Another questioned, “And the entire row let him???”

Woman shows braided hair, claims stranger did it in-flight.

Image credits: real.danieb

@real.danieb Hide ya weaves, anonymous hair braider on the loose. #Americanairlines#travelstoriea#fyppppppppppppppppppppppp#fyp#hairbraiding @ISEE Hair ♬ original sound – Danielle

“BARE MINIMUM, he could’ve taken it back down,” someone joked. 

A fourth said, “This is so invasive and yet so funny but I’m sorry that happened to you.” 

“Touching someone without their consent and leaving THEM with a trophy of it is CRAAAAZY,” one person noted. 

“As funny as this comes across, PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH PEOPLE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT,” a TikToker wrote.

“Hide ya weaves, anonymous hair braider on the loose,” Danielle wrote as her TikTok caption

Woman shares her experience of stranger braiding her hair during a flight.

Image credits: real.danieb

@real.danieb Replying to @saytoven. Annie are you Okay?! Are you Okay Annie?? #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp#hairbraiding#fyp#travelstories#travellife♬ original sound – Danielle

Others, however, offered a note of caution to Danielle “hibernating” as soon as the plane takes off.

“I don’t sleep that good in my own house,” a netizen said.

Another advised, “All jokes and games aside family you shouldn’t be sleep that hard in public at all anywhere, especially these days, travel safely.”

On March 28, Danielle posted a follow-up for those eagerly following the story, saying that she had not heard back from either the braider or the airline.

She also decided to shut down any of the rumors that insinuated she had purposely thrown her hair over the seat during the flight, labeling those accusations as “100% false.”

“You would think in 2025, we wouldn’t have to discuss keeping our hands to oneself, but we do,” she emphasized, adding that many flights are no strangers to these kinds of peculiar incidents.

Flight hair braiding incident discussed in viral comments exchange, highlighting reactions and apologies.

Image credits: real.danieb

Just earlier this year, New York Post reported that a first-class passenger on a flight from NYC to Milan, Italy, decided to pleasure himself for an hour next to a fashion entrepreneur — who was absolutely stunned, to say the least. 

According to the Brooklyn Federal Court lawsuit, the man chugged multiple glasses of champagne before he “grab[bed] his groin.” 

The woman next to him, Neel Elsherif — who is the CEO of three different companies — “froze in her seat and began to panic; she felt extremely uncomfortable and helpless,” said the court documents.

Many comments agreed that what might’ve been seen as a harmless incident was “invasive” and “disturbing”

Woman seated stylishly in a lounge, wearing a black dress and blazer, related to stranger braided hair story.

Image credits: realdanieb

When a flight attendant was alerted, she was allegedly given the most underwhelming and disappointing response. 

“Men just do stuff like that,” they reportedly said before stating there was nothing else to be done other than move her to coach.

People started calling the passenger the “midnight barber”

Comment about waking up with braided hair after a flight, liked by 14.3K users.

Comment on viral video: "He must’ve been so bored," with 27.2K likes.

Comment by Earth Heavy on stranger braiding hair during flight: "This is so invasive and yet so funny but I’m sorry that happened to you", with 9387 likes.

Comment on a viral video showing a woman surprised by a stranger braiding her hair while she slept on a flight.

Comment reacting to viral video of woman with braided hair.

Comment on video of a stranger braiding a woman's hair while she slept on a flight, noting how tight it was.

Comment praising a tight braid, highlighting skills, with 14.4K likes.

Comment by Chelsea saying "American Hairlines" with 55.9K likes.

Comment on viral video about stranger braiding hair on flight, showing confusion between laughter or screaming.

Comment on viral video: "This is the most serious, unserious thing ever" by imshabana, with 2212 likes.

Comment on viral video about stranger braiding hair on flight, user Andréa finds it a unique experience.

Comment on a viral video post stating, "their intrusive thoughts won," with 22.3K likes.

Comment on viral video about a stranger braiding hair during flight, showing text "god forbid men have hobbies" with likes.

Comment on a viral video about a stranger braiding hair during a flight.

Text from Ashley Renee commenting on psycho behavior, gaining 90.6K likes.

Comment on flight video: "You shouldn't sleep that hard in public, travel safely.

Comment reacting to a viral video about a stranger braiding a woman's hair while she slept on a flight.

Comment discussing a flight incident involving hair braiding, described as weird and psychotic.

Comment on viral video about stranger braiding woman's hair during flight, expressing disapproval of the act.

Comment on viral video about stranger braiding woman's hair mid-flight, gaining 13K likes.

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