Recently TikToker and tattoo artist Asher, @luckyboytattoos, shared a pretty crazy flight they had; they tattooed their seatmate in the air.
The video has been viewed more than 4 million times. Asher, who is a six-year veteran of the tattoo world, explains that he and the seatmate began chatting. They revealed that they wanted to get ink on their trip, but were worried about finding a reputable spot.
So… Asher offered to give this person a tattoo right on the plane. AND THEY SAID YES.
They followed all correct sanitation protocol and asked for permission from the flight attendants before they began.
Asher chatted with BuzzFeed about the experience and said that the seatmate began the conversation by complimenting his tattoos, after which she said she wanted to get a simple one but didn’t know where to go. His offer was a joke, but quickly became real.
“She seemed a little bit stressed about being able to find a shop and getting in, so at first, I jokingly brought up that I had all of my tattoo equipment with me,” Asher told BuzzFeed. “At first, it was just a casual suggestion, but as we continued talking, it seemed like she was very eager and comfortable with that experience, and she seemed to be looking for adventure on the trip.”
He said that, despite the odd place, the experience was very similar to working in the shop.
“Usually, when I meet my clients, there is either an instant connection where we are on the same page or not,” he told BuzzFeed. “I felt very comfortable with her, and she felt very comfortable with me after chatting for a short period of time on the plane.”
He also explained that the tattoo may not look exactly like what she had in mind. “I did tell her that [the tattoo outline] was not gonna be stenciled, but she was very open to the idea of the tattoo having character. We even talked about bumps and turbulence.”
They used a wireless machine, which was so quiet other passengers had no idea someone was getting inked on the flight.
Of the video? Asher was surprised by the response. “There’s definitely mixed reactions [of] a lot of people expressing how interesting and cool it was — but also a lot of people shutting down the idea and saying that it is unsanitary.” Asher explained that he understood where these comments were coming from, though the decision to get tattooed ultimately rests with the client. He said, “At the end of the day, I understand it’s not the most sanitary place to be doing tattoos — but we chatted about consent, risks, understanding and trusting each other first.”
“To me, getting a tattoo is such an amazing way of memorializing a mindset. In this case, adventure, openness, and saying hello to new experiences. It’s so powerful to take a piece of this version of yourself with you, to carry and remember.”