Daniel is a copywriter who has well and truly been bitten alive by the 'travel bug'. After ticking off several North American National Parks and exploring Europe by train, his sights are now set on South East Asia. Usually with at least one camera locked and loaded, you'll find Daniel wherever there are mountains, lakes or beaches.
Make sure you’re seated, put your table in the upright position, and prepare to take notes on the most annoying things people do when flying. We’ve all suffered silently (or not so silently) through sharing a plane with annoying flyers. So, we’ve put together a list of the absolute do-nots when taking to the skies!
Being Impatient in Airport Security Lines
We get it, standing in line and waiting to go through airport security can be tedious and lengthy. But it has to be done, so there’s no point in becoming agitated and rude toward staff and fellow travelers. Remember, those working just want to get their job done and those traveler, like you, just want to get to their destination.
Wearing Inappropriate Clothing
You should wear what you feel comfortable in when traveling, but there is a line. One of the most annoying things people do when flying is not considering their clothing choices. Don’t be that person who wears a huge coat and insists on keeping it on or putting it on your lap, taking up sought-after seat space.
Go light wear you can and put any heavy or large items of clothing in your luggage where possible.
Not Considering Your Hygiene
If you were to survey flyers on the most annoying things people do when flying, you can be sure a variant of “not considering their hygiene” would be high up on the list. It goes without saying, make sure you’re clean and not smelling of body odor before your flight. Equally, don’t overdo it on the perfume or aftershave – a smell overload, even good, can be overwhelming for many.
Not Reading the Energy of Your Seatmate(s)
Boundaries are key when it comes to travel and one of the most annoying things people do when flying is not considering those seated around them. When you first meet your seatmate, it’s always nice to give a friendly ‘hello’, and from that, you can gauge how you should act around them.
If you’re met with an equally friendly introduction, then they’re most likely up for a chat. If it’s a nonverbal response, then it’s probably best to get your book or headphones out. On the flip side, if you’re not up for talking during the flight, keep the conversation short without being rude and they’ll soon get the picture.
Eating Smelly Food
Talking of smells, don’t pack very fragrant foods when flying. You can’t exactly crank a window at 35,000 feet so everyone onboard will be trapped with whatever smell you unleash into the cabin. You also need to consider allergies, where people can react to smell or inhaling food particles.
Reclining Your Seat Without Asking
There are lots of unspoken rules when it comes to seat reclining and it’s a hot topic when it comes to listing the annoying things people do when flying.
First off, it’s worth noting who is behind you. If it’s someone tall or on the larger side, you may want to hold off reclining. If in doubt, it’s always best to simply ask. You also want to be mindful of what’s going on during the flight. For example, if food is being served, even if you’re not eating, it’s best to not recline.
Removing Your Shoes
Even if it’s a long flight, you should never take off your shoes and sit your socks. It’s unhygienic – think of visiting the toilet – and after a day of (usually) rushing to the airport and going through security, your feet are unlikely to smell squeaky clean. If you happen to be flying in luxury first class and have a suite to yourself, ignore the above and enjoy being shoeless for your flight!
Not Sharing the Armrest
There’s no official hard and fast rule when it comes to armrest etiquette but keeping it to yourself is one of the most annoying things people do when flying.
Arguably whoever has found themselves in the unfortunate middle seat, should get the inside armrests. Window seaters get the view and those on the aisle can easily move around the plane. The middle seater has neither luxury so deserves those two armrests.
Pushing Your Way to the Exits On Landing
After a long flight, we know that you just want to get off the cramped plane and stretch your legs. However, that doesn’t mean you can just push your way to the exits and certainly falls under the ‘annoying things people do when flying’ category.
Follow the usual protocol of front-to-back deboarding. If you see someone struggling to get their luggage down, give them a hand and you’ll speed up the process. If you have a connecting flight to get to, mention this to the stewards before landing and they might be able to help you be one of the first to disembark.