When Cara O’Bannon asked a fellow traveler at the airport to watch her bag, she expected a quick favor while she used the restroom—not a TSA-level TikTok reaction.
On July 30, the 25-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee, was traveling from Tampa, Florida, to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when she shared a TikTok about an unexpected encounter at Tampa International Airport. Waiting to board, O’Bannon asked a nearby woman to keep an eye on her carry-on while she stepped away. The stranger declined.
In the video, posted the same day, O’Bannon recounted her surprise.
“I fully expected her to say ‘yes,’” O’Bannon said, mimicking the stranger’s expression. “‘No, you should honestly take it with you.’”
O’Bannon pointed out that the restroom was just a few steps away, in clear view of the gate.
“I can see from here, a few steps away from where we’re sitting. I’ve never been so caught off guard,” she continued. “I fully thought she’d say, ‘Yeah, that’s fine. Go ahead.’ But she just said, ‘No.’ And that’s fine—you don’t have to watch it—but I wasn’t about to take all my belongings a few steps away when someone was already sitting there and could just watch it.”
In the caption, she wrote, “Guys, I’m so embarrassed HAHAHA she literally goes …. no….”
The Backlash on TikTok
Speaking to TODAY.com, O’Bannon said that while the refusal was momentarily embarrassing, the real surprise came from the online reaction.
“I was kind of shocked by just how much it really bothered people,” she said, noting that she didn’t anticipate hundreds of critical comments.
O’Bannon, who often travels alone, didn’t see her request as unusual.
“I always assumed if you ask a stranger to watch it, you’re just designating someone to keep an eye on it, not take responsibility,” she explained.
She respects the woman’s decision but hadn’t expected a refusal because no one had ever turned her down before.
“She didn’t owe me anything. In the past, people have said yes,” O’Bannon added.
Although the video was meant to be lighthearted, its viral spread brought significant criticism.
“Girl, that’s the number one thing you DON’T do at an airport,” one commenter wrote. “Is this your first time in an airport?” another asked. Others joked about phishing tests or referenced airport security warnings against watching someone else’s luggage. Some accused O’Bannon of being naive, privileged, or entitled.
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but … I do think there is a way to educate people by being kind,” she said. “I also don’t feel like it was necessary for thousands of people to comment on the exact same thing. I understand the first 10—you know? I got it.”
What an Airport Security Expert Says
Dr. Sheldon H. Jacobson, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign professor and airport security expert who contributed to TSA PreCheck, said O’Bannon’s instincts weren’t entirely off.
In airport terms, the non-sterile side includes areas open to the public, like ticket counters or baggage claim. The sterile side covers areas beyond TSA screening, including boarding gates.
“If it’s on the sterile side, the same principle applies,” he said. “However, passengers often find a little wiggle room once they’ve cleared security.”
TSA discourages handling others’ bags in any zone, but Jacobson said many travelers relax once through security. “You didn’t pack the bag. You don’t know what’s in it. If authorities ask, you could become part of the problem.”
Still, he acknowledged the challenge of traveling alone.
“This is more of a human issue than a policy issue,” Jacobson said.
Limitations of the Self-Policing System
Jacobson noted enforcement is difficult.
“It’s very hard to enforce policy with upwards of 3 million passengers screened daily at over 400 airports. There aren’t enough TSA personnel to check every concourse. Random sweeps happen, but essentially, this is self-policing by passengers.”
Lesson Learned From ‘a Simple Mistake’
Looking back, O’Bannon understands why the video struck a nerve. She’s still processing the intensity of criticism.
“People really take the hate to the next level,” she said, describing how commenters attacked her appearance and upbringing. “From this few-second video, people took it way out of context. It was lighthearted and a simple mistake. I was shocked by how much it bothered people.”
O’Bannon values conversations about safety norms in public spaces like airports but also reflects on the judgment she faced and her instincts.
“I’d agree some people called me naive, maybe living in a fairy tale land,” she said. “I try to be kind if someone asks for help, even a stranger. You never know what someone’s going through.”
Jacobson’s advice for travelers wanting to avoid such situations: travel light and plan ahead.
