Dad goes viral on TikTok after buying airplane seats for his home

People have been coping with travel withdrawal in many different ways. Some began running on treadmills with suitcases, some have turned washing machines into airplane windows and some have even ordered airline meals to eat at home. And then there's the dad that missed flying so much that he bought old airplane seats for his living room.

In a series of videos on TikTok, Annisa Simao shares the story of her father who recently purchased a pair of old Delta first-class seats. Her videos quickly went viral and even caught the attention of Delta's CEO Ed Bastian.

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In the first video of her mini-series, Annisa introduces her father, Steve Simao. “So this is my dad,” she says. “If you know him, you know he’s pretty goofy, always doing the most, pretty extra.” On his Instagram, he describes himself as a father, photographer, passionate traveler and the vice president of sales at Windstar Cruises. He's also a Delta Diamond Medallion member who really misses flying.

While away at school, Annisa received a text from her father with a link to an eBay listing for used Delta first-class seats and the message “I want to buy this,” with a cry-laughing emoji. However, he was not joking. A couple days later, Simao pulled the trigger a ordered a pair of the seats.

https://www.tiktok.com/@lolnissy/video/6902126171618610437

Annisa received countless selfies of him enjoying the seats while away, and when returning home, found her father in full-on travel mode — sitting in his airplane seat with his seatbelt fastened, tucked in with a red, Delta-branded blanket and watching the airline's safety in-flight safety video. He even had an original safety card on hand.

Related: The travel memes making us laugh and giving us life during the quarantine

It didn't take too long until Delta came across Annisa's videos. Less than a week after Annisa posted the first video about her father, she received a personalized video from the airline's CEO Ed Bastian, along with three round-trip first class flights to anywhere Delta flies in the U.S.

https://www.tiktok.com/@lolnissy/video/6903677882007047429

The first-class seats Simao purchased are from a retired McDonnell Douglas MD-90, often referred to as Mad Dog. The aircraft type first entered Delta's fleet in November 1989 and was then quietly retired this year in June.

Related: Goodbye, old Mad Dog: A photo tribute to the noisiest jets in Delta’s fleet

If you want a pair of old airplane seats of your own, you're in luck. There are numerous listings for used seats from Delta and other airlines on eBay starting around $300. There are also several companies, such as Aircraft End-of-Life Solutions, which dismantle aircraft and then sell parts to the public. In addition to airplane seats, you could buy memorabilia like drink trolleys and old service items.

Related: Here’s where to buy old airplane parts you can repurpose at home

Or, if you'd rather take an actual Delta first class flight, we have plenty of guides that will teach you how to do so for free using points and miles.