Gen Z Says He Walked to the Airport to Avoid Parking Cost, Internet Divided

A video of a Generation Z man opting to walk to the airport in order to save money on parking has gone viral on TikTok. The clip was shared by 20-year-old Aflie Watts (@alfiewattss) who is one-half of the youngest duo ever to have won the Race Across the World competition last month. The BBC program sees teams of two race cross a part of the world using any means of transportation apart from flying. Watts and his friend Owen Wood, 21, went on a 15,000 kilometer (around 9,321 miles) journey across Eastern Asia. Read more: Which Airlines Have the Best (or Worst) Fees? A message overlaid on the latest viral clip, which currently has 1.8 million views since it was posted last week, reads: "When you flat out refuse to pay for airport parking, so you decide to literally WALK to [London] Stansted [Airport]." The footage shows Watts walking along a roadway as cars zoom past him before he eventually arrives at the airport. The video's caption reads: "£100 [around $127] for 2 days are you actually having a giggle." Read more: How Much Are Airline Baggage Fees? Newsweek has contacted @alfiewattss for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified. Watts' refusal to foot the parking bill is understandable because airport parking fees in some of the busiest hubs in the United States were found to be as high as nearly $40 per day. In a survey published last year of the 50 of the busiest U.S. airports conducted by Upgraded Points, San Diego International Airport (SAN) was reported to have the highest parking fee, with an average full-day rate of $38 for economy parking options. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) was found to offer the cheapest fee, with an average full-day rate of $7.50 for economy parking options, according to the survey. The survey also found that it is cheaper to take an Uber car service to/from the airport than to park for a long weekend at 14 of the 50 largest U.S. airports. The latest post comes as travel price inflation (TPI) was reported to have slightly dropped in January as a result of falling transportation prices, according to a March report from the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics. Travel is set to reach "record highs" this year, with global tourism spending expected to reach U.S. $2 trillion, according to a December 2023 survey by Euromonitor International, a market research firm. Jet-setters say they'll cut down on other areas of personal spending to prioritize leisure travel this year, according to a global survey of over 10,000 travelers across nine countries, conducted by Ipsos and the Hilton hotel group that was published last year.

TikTok Users React

TikTok users were divided in the comments section about Watts' mode of transportation to the airport. User Seán wrote: "Unbelievably valid," while Lijah added: "10000000000 percent." Jay commented "You go guy!" and Millie posted, "Absolutely love this." Others were less convinced it was a great idea, like user Daddyboiiiii who wrote, "Dangerous road too walk you know." YellowM wrote: "There's these things called taxis." User 7_c3po_12 agreed and posted: "Uber is also an option, trains and busses!..." Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.