Video of ordering Domino's pizza to airport gate racks up huge views, praise and criticism
Video Mom of 4 says airport security, flight attendant praised family's 'genius' travel food hack Ali Van De Graaff, a travel blogger from Oregon, explains that limited food options at her small regional airport led her husband to arrange curbside pizza delivery, allowing the family to bring fresh slices back through security and then onboard.
An Oregon mom of four is going viral after revealing how she avoided high-priced airport food during a flight delay — which supporters say is "genius" even as critics slam it as "rude" and "inconsiderate."
Ali Van De Graaff, who shares family travel tips on her Instagram account "Twin Passport Tales," racked up more than 13 million views after posting a video of herself picking up two freshly delivered pizzas outside Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport in Medford, Oregon, before heading back through security.
Van De Graaff was traveling to Mexico earlier this month with her husband and their four children — two sets of twins, Jimmy and Natalie, 11, and Sloane and Riv, 6 — when they learned their flight was delayed.
The small regional airport has limited food options, and she knew she didn't want to buy food there for six people.
"Airport food is just so insanely expensive," she told Fox News Digital.
Ali and Nathan Van De Graaff pose with their children. The Oregon family shares budget-friendly travel tips on Instagram as "Twin Passport Tales." (Ali Van De Graaff/@twinpassporttales)
"He was like, 'We've got time — let's get some Domino's,'" she said.
Using the app, they were able to order two pies and track the delivery all the way to the gate.
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Van De Graaff took two of the kids, left their bags back with her husband and went to fetch the food.
"Then we went back through security," she said. "We have TSA PreCheck, so we knew it would be quick."
The family's pizza order was delivered to the arrivals area outside Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport. (Ali Van De Graaff/@twinpassporttales)
They plopped the pizza boxes onto the conveyor belt and went through without issue.
"The TSA guy was like, 'I'm so jealous. That's so smart,'" she recalled.
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When they learned their flight delay time was reduced, they boarded the plane with their tasty carry-on.
"The kids had never eaten pizza on an airplane before," Van De Graaff said. "They thought it was so cool."
Nathan Van De Graaff carries the pizza boxes onto a flight from Medford, Oregon, after the family ordered food to the airport during a delay. (Ali Van De Graaff/@twinpassporttales)
"The flight attendant was like, 'I've never seen that before. That is genius,'" Van De Graaff said.
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While some people online called it "the smartest parenting hack," not everyone was as enthusiastic.
The video quickly ignited debate online as some argued the pizza smell could bother fellow passengers.
"A full-size pizza box can become cumbersome and create unnecessary inconvenience for the crew."
