A growing debate online reveals a small but particularly annoying practice at airports: what do you do with the tray after passing the security check? A recent viral video posted on Tiktok showed a passenger carefully arranging the empty trays after collecting his belongings and wrote “I always have to work when I get to the security checks because people don’t tidy up after them.”
The video led to thousands of comments from passengers who had very different experiences. Some praised the gesture as nice and respectful, while others reported being scolded for trying to help the workers. “As a former airport security worker, we really like people like you,” wrote one commenter. Another said he was yelled at for trying to help. The differences seem to stem from the location: some airports encourage passengers to arrange the trays, while others specifically ask to leave the trays on the conveyor belt.
This simple act of politeness, or often lack of politeness, even got a name among frustrated passengers: Belt Bumping or in Hebrew the failure to arrange the tray on the conveyor belt. The concept refers to the habit of leaving the tray on the conveyor belt or on the unloading table instead of returning it to its place, which leads to a load on the conveyor belt, a lack of trays which causes the delay of other passengers and the airport employees who have to tidy up instead of dealing with the security checks.
“This is my biggest frustration,” wrote one commenter on the video. “Everyone has to return their tray. It’s not that complicated.” Another passenger added that seeing empty trays on the conveyor belt piling up annoys her and makes her think it’s “everyone’s first day on earth” because of the lack of care towards the other passengers.
Experts point out that the issue is both a practical and hygienic matter. Travel blogger Gary Lapp points out that arranging the trays can keep check-in areas organized and improve passenger flow. However, he also warns that the security trays are among the most polluted places in the airport. “The security workers use gloves but the passengers don’t,” he said, noting studies that show the trays often spread viruses.
Etiquette expert Laura Windsor offers a slightly different perspective. While returning trays is a pleasant and respectful act, it is not mandatory: “Many passengers travel with small children, elderly relatives or those with mobility limitations, and they cannot be expected to manage everything at the same time,” Windsor explains. “Helping arrange the trays is a gesture of courtesy, but certainly not mandatory,” she adds.