Man Gives 'Stranger' Sitting Next to Him on Plane a Tattoo Mid-Flight

A tattoo artist gave the "stranger" sitting next to him an inking mid-flight, after the flight attendants gave their blessing.

Asher, from California, boarded a flight and sat next to a woman who was worried about finding a tattoo parlor at their destination.

Luckily for her, Asher offered to ink a design on her arm there and then, some thousands of feet in the sky.

Tattoos have soared in popularity in recent years, with 2020 statistics from Comparecamp.com stating Americans spend $1.65 billion a year on body art.

The data revealed 36 percent of U.S. citizens aged between 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo, while "older millennials are the most likely people to get a tattoo," with 38 percent of those 30 to 39 having at least one permanent piece of artwork.

Overall some 46 percent of American respondents confirmed they have at least one permanent design.

"There's no better time to get a tattoo than now. For starters, it's more socially accepted today, and a lot of people have them," said the site.

"Moreover, the prices are becoming more affordable, and there are different techniques you can try and inspirations you can draw from, should you choose to have it done," the site noted.

The arms, specifically wrists and hands, are popular locations for a design, with 34 percent of respondents to a 2019 survey from Statista choosing that location.

The chart below, provided by Statista, shows where tattoos are popular.

You will find more infographics at Statista

Interestingly Comparecamp.com cited nearly half—46 percent—"considers the reputation of the tattoo studio or tattoo artist as the most crucial factor."

But for Asher, it was luck more than research that brought him his next client. He shared a clip to his TikTok page, @luckyboytattoos, where he documented the mile-high tattoo.

The video, which can be seen here, has been watched more than 4 million times since being shared last month.

"Would you let a stranger on your flight tattoo you?" Asher asked in the caption, adding the hashtag "bucket list."

The on-screen text explained more about the unique encounter, saying: "So I sat down next to someone who told me they were stressed about finding a place to get tattooed on their trip."

The clip showed Asher washing his hands in the tiny airplane bathroom, before marking out and drawing the design on his neighbor's arm.

"We followed all sanitisation protocols including prep, clean up and disposal," the text continued.

He had a portable tattoo gun with him, which he used to write the word "hello" on her right arm as she enjoyed the unparalleled view out the window.

And assuring viewers, he continued: "We even asked the flight attendants, who gave us the go ahead!"

The clip ends with Asher popping some clear plastic over the fresh inking.

Scores of people commented in awe on the footage, as Christina Mistretta raved: "This is so freaking cool."

"Talk about the most unique tattoo experience ever," 906_beetle added.

Although Madeline Faith asked: "What if you hit turbulence !!!"

Speaking to Buzzfeed, Asher explained the machine was wireless—and silent—meaning fellow passengers weren't aware of what was going on.

He confirmed he talked through the possibilities of "bumps and turbulence," adding she was thrilled with the final design.

Newsweek reached out to @luckyboytattoos for comment.

Update 9/1/22, 11:19 a.m. ET: This article was updated with videos and screen grabs from @luckyboytattoos.