This $25 Gadget Might Finally End the War Over the Airplane Armrest

Common airplane etiquette dictates that the passenger stuck in the middle seat gets both armrests — but what about when you’re traveling four across? Or you’re sitting in the aisle seat but you’ve had a really long day and just want to put your arms up?

Soarigami is a portable armrest divider that marks a clearly-defined border for each passenger’s arm, while giving each passenger a little more space.

It folds flat to fit into carry-ons and then, once on the plane, pops out to provide an extra few inches of armrest space to passengers on either side of the divide. Designed to look like a paper airplane, the device can expand to fit an armrest anywhere from 1.5 to 2.75 inches.

For those traveling with children, it eliminates the whole “stop touching me” argument. Or, for travelers repulsed by human contact, it ensures that your skin will never have to touch the stranger in the next seat. It’s a win-win for passengers on either side.

However it’s probably best that passengers check with the person sitting next to them before clamping the divider down on the armrest. A simple, “Do you mind if I stick this on the armrest so we can share it?” should suffice.

The Soarigami is available for $25 from Amazon.