Beginning with the least commonly cited irritant and concluding with the ultimate annoyance, here are the 20 most egregious behaviors we subject one another to at cruising altitude.
This list could be virtually limitless: feel free to share your own grievances in the comments.
20. Misusing another passenger’s items in the overhead bin
You made it to the gate punctually, boarded in an organized manner, and utilized your designated overhead bin space for your neatly folded coat and stylish fedora.
Then, Late Lummox shows up with a suitcase, a stroller, and a shopping bag, completely wrecking your fashionable outfit while cramming half of his belongings into a space designated for one personal item.
After that, he goes on to sit twelve rows away.
19. Taking forever to pick a movie
In-flight movies: the go-to entertainment for those soaring through the skies.
That is, unless your neighbor takes an eternity deciding between “Grown Ups 2” or something slightly more thought-provoking.
A curious scenario noted by travel writer Tom Jordan is when someone nearby is watching the same movie as you, but a few scenes ahead, spoiling it for you bit by bit.
18. Constant leg-shaking
Not a common experience, yet still bothersome at 30,000 feet.
The issue was raised by a travel author known for his own leg-shaking, who recounted a moment when the woman next to him leaned over and firmly placed her hand on his knee — a clear signal to stop the restless leg movement.
“I can only imagine the extended psychological turmoil that ultimately led to such a bold request,” the jittery author muses.
17. Boarding the plane before your group number is announced
Many airlines implement a system to efficiently board hundreds of travelers.
That’s why we trudge onto a flight as part of Group A, B, 1, or 4.
We all recognize the anxiety of witnessing the crowd boarding and grabbing all available overhead bin space.
And if airlines hadn’t introduced checked baggage fees, early boarding wouldn’t be as pivotal to one’s mental state.
However, drawing the short straw doesn’t justify pretending to be dyslexic.
16. Crying babies
Is humanity worth continuing?
Often, you contemplate this when subjected to relentless infant wailing during a flight.
Kid-free zones frequently top many travelers’ wish lists.
Are we truly blaming infants for simply being, well, infants?
Of course, provided they’re not your kids, but ours.
15. Getting annoyed when a neighbor vacates their seat
“Oh, I’d master bladder control if I were in the window seat,” these self-righteous aisle dwellers think to themselves.
On the flip side, constant trips to the restroom can be quite bothersome.
Airplane toilet breaks? A lose-lose for everyone.
14. Chattering on a cell phone
“Hey, we’ve just landed… can you hear me? … we’re on the ground now… can you hear me now? … We have just landed…”
13. Odorous food
We understand — airlines have reduced food service, compelling us to bring our own snacks and meals onboard.
But did you really have to empty your refrigerator and take it on the flight?
12. Speaking loudly
If online dating doesn’t seem to work, will random conversations on planes succeed?
11. Claiming dominance over the armrest
The primary weapon in this battle is the elbow — and what’s the takeaway?
There is nowhere else we regress to a selfish, territorial mindset more rapidly than on a plane.
10. Occupying the empty middle seat
Hallelujah for the middle seat!is empty!
Until the selfish boor beside you stakes their claim to the no man’s land of the middle seat with a book, coat, or inflatable neck support.
On these buses with wings, as Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary described aircraft, space is limited: share it when possible.
9. Sneezing, coughing, sharing germs
“Boundaries” is the essence of what these last several points address.
And nothing disrupts boundaries more violently than when someone disperses their saliva droplets or spends 20 minutes clearing their throat of infectious agents acquired during a vacation.
8. Playing games without muting sound
It’s amusing how some of the planet’s most irritating activities are labeled “games.”
You’re absolutely right.
It certainly isn’t amusing.
Unless being a bystander to “bleep, bloop, blorp” provides you with three hours of entertainment.
7. Rolling oversized suitcases down the aisle
There’s invariably at least one individual on every flight who brings a bag that’s far too large for carry-on, trying to convince everyone otherwise.
“Supermarket-sized duty free shopping hauls” are another vexation pointed out by travel journalist Tom Jordan.
6. Passengers behind you attempting to disembark first
What is it about flying that triggers such primal behavior?
We’ve regressed to an era before the queue was conceived.
5. Ignoring personal hygiene
Travel writer Sandra Lawrence recounts, “I once sat next to the smelliest man in the universe on a seven-hour New York-London flight.”
“He seemed utterly oblivious to the concept of soap and water.”
“There was no escape on a fully booked plane.”
Flight crews carry deodorant for this very reason, though they shouldn’t have to.
Engaging in personal hygiene practices while flying—like trimming your fingernails—is equally unacceptable.
4. Bare feet
“Feet nudism” frequently arose as a complaint in our unofficial survey.
Flights offer an ideal opportunity to air out those feet.
Appalling side note: individuals who use the airplane lavatory while barefoot.
Foot-related side note: several respondents nominated aisle sitters who stubbornly extend their feet, legs, and other body parts into the aisle for a rude traveler honorable mention.
3. Hogging the lavatory
What could they possibly be doing in there, as you wait cross-legged by the door?
Certainly not considering the feelings of others.
2. Reclining the seat
It’s curious how a permitted act—pressing the seat recline button, thus pinning the person behind to their own tray table—elicits such widespread irritation.
“It’s such selfish behavior,” remarks weary traveler Mary Novakovich.
Airplane engineers, please redesign these seats!
1. Kicking/bumping/shoving the seat back
This is the most aggravating annoyance by a landslide.
Designed for fuel efficiency, airplane seats are extraordinarily lightweight—meaning they transmit even the slightest touch.
Or magnify it: your constant fidgeting with your tray table and seat pocket can feel like a kung fu world champion practicing to the unsuspecting traveler in front.
Are we there yet?
Is there an irritating behavior that has been overlooked? Share your thoughts on how rude these actions are in the comments.
