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6 highly annoying habits of infrequent fliers

United Economy

Even some very frequent travelers can be irritating during peak summer travel season (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Last week on an interminable six-hour flight from New York back to San Francisco, I sat next to a very irritating passenger. While it is usually IN-frequent fliers that get under my skin, this guy was a United Global Services member– a status he let me know about as soon as he sat down.

He’d missed his previous flight, and was forced to sit in a middle seat in Economy Plus on my flight. He immediately flapped his arms out to take full control of the armrests and wedged his knees into my knee space. Then he proceeded to harass flight attendants for the duration of the flight by (I kid you not) pushing the call button at least four times to lodge complaints, make demands or ask inane questions: Why is the in-seat power not working? Please reset it.  The seatback map is only in Spanish- can you tell me what time we are landing? I’m Global Services, and get a free meal, so don’t charge me. Another cup of water. Do you have any aspirin? It went on and on. And when we landed at SFO, he asked if I’d let him out first so he could exit before everyone else catch his connecting flight (even tho we’d landed ontime). Arrgh!

Over time, most frequent travelers adopt an unruffled, zen-like attitude when it comes to flying. But at times, especially during the peak summer travel season (which starts this week), infrequent flyers tend to exhibit certain behaviors that get under their skin.

Below are my top six irritants. What are yours?

Tap, tap, tap...hello? (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Tap, tap, tap…hello? (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

1) Seatback tappers- You know,  the ones who repeatedly tap-tap-tap on the seatback entertainment screen to play games, change channels or who knows what. Since they don’t fly much, they don’t realize how irritating it is for the person in front of them to feel that constant knock that hits square on the back of the head. As soon as you think they’ve quit, it starts over again. After about 15 minutes, I’ll turn around and give ’em an arched eyebrow… what about you?

My most famous foot photo ever (Chris McGinnis)

My most famous foot photo, ever (Chris McGinnis)

2) Feet people- These travelers must think their pink toes are cute, but their seat mates think they are pretty gross. Pack your flip flops in your carry on and wear shoes and socks on the plane, please. On long, overnight flights, it’s fine to remove shoes, but please put them back on when going to the lavatory (that’s not just water on the floor in there…). And when you get back to your seat, never, ever prop those puppies up on the wall, tray table, armrest or elsewhere. 

Knee room in economy on Cathay Pacific's B777-300ER (Chris McGinnis)

Not so fast with that recline, buster! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

3) Pushy recliners- These folks can do real damage to an open laptop, or knock a drink right out of your hand and into your lap. They apply full backward pressure on the seatback, and then POW! They discover that that funny little button is what makes the seat go back– and right into your personal space. I can’t say this with complete authority, but from what I observe, most frequent travelers no longer recline their seats unless they are on an overnight flight. Do you still recline?

4) Aisle hogs- During boarding, these are the folks who think they can yank their overstuffed wheelie-bag down the aisle, and act surprised when it doesn’t fit and they keep running into seats and knees. Pick the bag up already, and get down the aisle! There are 150 people behind you! And once you’ve stuffed that monster into the bin, don’t go back and block the aisle while you fetch your magazines or iPod. Sit down in your seat and get outta the way. You can go back to your bag after we take off. 

Here’s an good video that cleverly describes much of what I’m talking about– especially funny are parts about the various odors emitted by irritating passengers:

5) Boarding line breakers- These are the novices who act like they are deaf or don’t speak English, or can’t read when gate agents are boarding by zone, and wander into the zone 1 group when they are actually in zone 5. What are even more irritating are gate agents who don’t pay attention and let these slouches board anyway. Back off, Jack!

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6) Typhoid Marys- Most frequent travelers know that when they are in tiny tubes darting through the stratosphere, they should keep their germs to themselves. (See feet above.) Most infrequent travelers haven’t learned that yet, and sneeze or cough without covering. And by covering I mean sneezing or coughing into a sleeved elbow, handkerchief or Kleenex. NOT a bare hand, which just re-directs the spray sideways. These are the same folks who grab their bags in overhead bins by the wheels (which have rolled through all kinds of muck), and then touch seatbacks, tray tables, armrests, light switches or air vents. If you are seated by the window, these are also the hands passing drinks and food to you. Yuck! Bring on the Purell and the face masks!

Good idea: A new device that helps divide arm rest space

Okay, now that I’ve let off some steam, it’s time  for me to retreat back into my frequent traveler zen skin and to remember that now’s the time to offer tolerance (and maybe even help) to the infrequent flyers, especially during this peak travel season. All of us were novices at this game at one time…

But… what about you? What habits of infrequent flyers irritate you most? Please leave your comments below! 

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: How to get the BEST summer fare deals | One airline fee fading fast | Trip Report: Aer Lingus Economy Class | 5 top jobs for frequent travelers  | First class phase out coming soon

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Comments

  2. Hi. Disabled person with emotional support animals here. We actually need our animals with us, and we also need the laws that we have to protect us from the bigotry and hatred of people like yourself.

  3. So we should feel sorry for tall people like you for not fitting into their seats, but fat people deserve no such consideration because they are just stupid lazy pigs who are only fat because they refuse to exercise? I’d recline my seat right into your stupid knees, you bigot.

  4. On red eye flights, it’s the idiots who fall asleep or, worse yet, are reading a newspaper with their light on. They are the only one in the entire airplane with the light on but don’t seem to catch a clue that everyone else is trying to sleep, in the dark.

  10. If someone reclines then grab hold of that little silver button on YOUR seat and do the same. To say not to use it is a JOKE! If everyone reclines then you all have the same amount of space. I’m so sick of these idiots who say you need permission to recline. The button is there for a reason USE IT!!!!

  13. Chris, you should dedicate a full post to the screen tappers. On every screen I’ve ever used, you can easily avoid hammering the at-times poorly responsive touch screen through one simple trick:

    Reverse your hand so the back of it faces the screen, and simply use your fingernail to tap and select.

    I’ve found that for some reason the haptic screen is more sensitive to the fingernail than the actual finger, and I can easily make selections without really pushing on the screen at all.

  14. I am an older (over 60), very frequent traveler with some back chronic pain. I realistically pay for and expect a certain amount of space. In economy, that’s not much, but if it includes recline I will use it. My back hurts most of the time and I need the recline to be less uncomfortable.
    It is not fair or reasonable for someone to think I should give up my limited, paid for space. I find it particularly unreasonable that someone of size may think that I should give up my space for them. I paid for what I need and will use it. If someone needs more space than economy seating allows, they should pay for it – it is available. It is disappointing that someone may think they should be able to use space I paid for so they can save money by fling in seats they know are too small for them.

  16. I have found my lower back pain from flying to be significantly reduced by sitting on something called a Backjoy. I used to get sore from an hour-long flight. I’ve flown from Denver to Germany with my Backjoy and felt pretty good afterwards. (Bonus – I found out they are headquartered here in Boulder in the same building as my doctor’s office.)

    Well worth the $33 price tag.

    https://www.amazon.com/BackJoy-BJCAM001-SitSmart-Relief-Black/dp/B004WO5UXC

  17. Tall guy here. I don’t recline and buy the exit row to avoid this situation. On my last flight back home, the asshole in front of me had a fit because he couldn’t recline his seat. I chuckled to myself.

  18. Don’t like the somewhat elitist notion that only “infrequent fliers” are the guilty parties for many of these offenses. Many “mega-super double diamond-encrusted platinum” types engage in annoying antics too.

    As for reclining: seems to me that reclining is “socially appropriate” if the flight is at a time of day where it is reasonable for a person to be tired. So, if I were king of the skies, I’d say recline away when the time in the departure city is earlier than 7 AM (make it 9 AM on weekends) or later than 10 PM. Special consideration might be in order for those who connected to flights from other flights . . . for example, the person who just flew a long-haul transoceanic flight and connects to an early afternoon flight is entitled to be tired and to recline.

    Other pet peeves:
    (1) People who spoil the darkness of a “red eye” by keeping their reading light on, or watching a movie on a personal device that is very bright. Fortunately, seatback screens are less offensive in this regard, and as they become more and more present, perhaps the problem of the very bright personal screen will fade.
    (2) Upon boarding, those who block the aisle while putting their stuff in the overhead bin. If the aisle seat is empty, you can step into the row and do your overhead bin loading from there.
    (3) People who seem to take forever to deplane. “Oh, it’s our row’s turn to get off? I really didn’t see that coming, please wait while I take 45 seconds to gather all my stuff from the overhead bin.”
    (4) Another deplaning gripe: slow-walkers who waddle up the jet way at an annoyingly slow speed and block others, some of whom may have a tight connection, from passing them. Double bad if it’s two of them side-by-side.
    (5) Bringing “food court food” onto the plane.
    (6) When a plane arrives late into a hub city and flight attendants ask those without connections or without tight connections to let those with tight connections offboard first, but hardly anyone grants this courtesy.
    (7) Anyone who seems to derive their sense of self-worth and “importance” from their airline status and loves to make everyone know how “elite” they are.
    (8) And, of course, that old saw: the toddlers who kick your seat whose parents seem utterly unaware or unconcerned.

  19. Recliners in coach are inconsiderate a-holes. Also, can’t stand the blow hard self-important types talking loudly on their phones about their meeting/deals/etc. so everyone can hear. I usually tap them on the shoulder and say, “WE CAN ALL HEAR YOU.” It usually embarrasses them enough to speak softer or to hang up.

  20. Couldn’t agree more about the reclining. I don’t recline as a courtesy and appreciate when the person in front doesn’t either. I’ve always thought the extra comfort reclining offers is far outweighed by the additional discomfort for the person behind you.

  21. I have to say a few things on this:
    1) I never ever recline. I’m 6’3″ and when someone reclines it seriously hurts me. I know that the chairs recline, but they shouldn’t. My knees (except in first class) are already in the back of the seatback in front of me. Which is why I always try to book an aisle so that I can at least extend one leg. I’m fine when people in first class recline as it usually doesn’t cause me any issues, but unless you’re riding in first class PLEASE I’m begging you for the sake of all of us that are tall (or perhaps just have long legs), don’t recline! We can’t do anything about our height. This isn’t like we are overweight and are taking up two seats instead of one because we refuse to exercise and don’t think we should have to pay for two seats (one of my pet peeves). There is seriously nothing that we can do about our height.

    2) For armrests. I have always thought that edicate dictates that the person crammed in the middle gets both armrests in the middle. Anyone who is forced into that position deserves at the very least the armrests. I can lean out to the side if I’m in either the window or the aisle, but the person in the middle can’t. They’re entitled to those two armrests. No one else. I never like being in the middle having broad shoulders and being tall, it sucks on many levels, but when I am, I expect that those armrests are mine.

    3) We all know you want to get on the plane early and quickly. But there is no need to stand up and wait at the gate until your group is called, especially when you are in an airport where doing so blocks the walkways for people trying to get to their next flight. I appreciate getting up once your group is called or is next to be called. Then fine, until then stay out of the way.

    4) For those of you that recline, again please, please stop. It doesn’t matter if you do it “Slowly” it still hurts! It’s still uncomfortable. I do my best to keep my knees out of your back (even though there is little I can do about that), so please don’t make it worse by reclining back in your seat. Keep it up, you’re the reason those lean back stoppers were invented. Because it hurts, not because it’s “inconvenient”. I don’t have one, but more than once I’ve wished I had.

  22. I have a bad lower back, and airline seats seem designed to put the most stress on it–so yes, I still recline (and still need ibuprofen). However, I go back slowly and gently, since I know someone is back there. Most irritating to me are those folks who use something to block the recline function.

  23. I have some noise cancelling headphones (Sony) that work pretty well, but don’t block out everything (depends on frequency). I had those on the last flight, and she still drove me nuts. I added some ambient music to my ipad that will hopefully help. Thanks

  24. Thanks Chris, Really appreciate this.
    I have an extremely hard time with those “incredibly important” people who loudly and excessively talk on their cell phones in lounges.
    My wife and I have pretty much made the decision that from now on we will respectfully, but very quick and also very directly ask these people to TONE IT DOWN !
    I find their behavior aggressive, reckless, and seriously intrusive, and I am not willing to have my lounge time turned sour anymore.
    If they get aggressive when I tell them, then I will immediately report them to the folks overseeing the lounge.
    Okay everybody … please give me a thumbs-up for my pitch to protect you all from these reckless people.
    Thank you ~ Mark

  25. people who get Pre Check as a freebie and take 5 trys to get through the detector slowing down the entire line and defeating the purpose of pre Check

  26. I frequently turn back and say “They call it a “touch screen” for a reason. All you have to do is touch it. Pressing harder doesn’t help.” They get the idea.

  27. Good point on the window blinds! In general, I love the centralised control of the window brightness level on the 787, takes away almost all of the window-blind pain.

  28. David I haven’t tried the Mack’s but I can’t travel without my Bose QC20 headphones. They are absolutely the best travel accessory I’ve ever owned. With the noise cancelling on and quiet music playing I find little penetrates… even that astonishingly-noisy Lenovo laptop keyboard clicking away across the aisle 🙂

  29. A few ‘pet hates’ I don’t think anyone has mentioned and Chris I’m surprised you didn’t pick up especially on number 3:
    1) The people who choose, sometimes even pay for, a window seat, then wake you and the middle seat guy up four times to get from and to their seat, sometimes even on a 1-2 hour flight. There are exceptions but for the most part I say: if they can’t hold it for 1-2 hours, they shouldn’t sit at the window.
    2) The person who is watching some vibrantly-lit movie on a 15″ screen at maximum brightness, on the redeye, lighting up the whole cabin with attention-grabbing flickers while everyone else is trying to sleep. I love watching movies on my MacBook too but…
    3) The guy who sits down next do you in the economy middle seat, puts on his overhead light, then immediately goes to sleep, thus disturbing the both aisle and window seats with his pool of light. (Do you covertly try to reach up and turn it off? I do!)
    4) People who forget or fail to close the curtain behind them, on their way to/from the facilities, thus flooding the cabin with light (and noise) from the galley. (Delta One’s inward-facing herringbone seats on the 777, anybody?)

  31. Not at all, since the law and the rules are that nobody smokes on airplanes anymore. When there’s a law or a rule that prohibits reclining my seat, I’ll certainly comply with it.

  32. On some aircraft, the seat has an ash tray too! 🙂 This is not about what’s possible or what’s legal, it’s about what’s polite and what’s protocol.

    ps I do recline too but only on flights where one might reasonably expect most people to be sleeping/resting.

  33. Each to their own (feel the ‘zen’) but isn’t this like lighting up onboard an older aircraft because there are still ash trays in the arms?

  34. A French philosopher summed up your article in four words:

    “Hell is other people” – Jean-Paul Sartre

    😉

  35. Dogs on planes. Not the ADS service animals but the touchy feely ones because I am afraid to fly, I have planning attacks or cause my dog needs to go on holiday too. At SFO United club and a couple has not one not two but THREE with them. A mug a golden a yorkie. All label EMOTIONAL SUPPORT Pets

  36. I’m not so young anymore, either! I’ve found pushing on the armrests works just as well as pulling on the seat back.

  37. haha! I just got one 🙂 Looking forward to early boarding on United next time I fly (October).

  39. I’m one of those older fliers, and I’m sorry, but I need leverage to get out of the seat! I have to pull on the seat back. I don’t, however, pull on the seats as I go up and down the aisle.

  40. Lord, there’s a million of these– Like Chris says, best to maintain a Zen state (and invest in a good set of noise-cancelling headphones).
    Two of my least favorites: Younger flyers: wearing overstuffed backpacks on board, and then hitting me in the head when they turn into their seat across the aisle; Older flyers: Grabbing the back of the seat in front of them and yanking to get up, and then pulling on the seatbacks like a cross-country skier to get down the aisle.

  41. Thanks!. I actually just ordered those earlier today after reading about them in an article with sleep tips.

  43. I’m with Chris – especially during daytime flights. Reclining makes it really challenging for the person behind you to work, eat, and be comfortable. It’s an antiquated concept on modern jets (at least in coach).

  44. I think the seat back screen is going away. Delta’s Studio seems to be the wave and I’m glad.
    Put my seat back but very slowly.
    I can usually shut up the miles bragger up when I show him mine.
    One of my main issues though is with the flight attendants not answering the call. Barring your pestering neighbor they need to get with it. The Asian and Middle East carriers are on the spot.

  45. I was on a red-eye flight last month. Got my ear plugs in and eye mask on, popped some ambien and was ready for 3 1/2 hours of quality sleep. Except that the woman in the center seat across the aisle from me would not stop talking to her boyfriend. I wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure what proper etiquette on a red-eye is (are people expected to shut up so others can sleep?).

    Please share your thoughts on this. I have another red-eye this weekend.

  46. 1. People in the seat in front of you who use the space under their seat for storage. Wait, that’s for my stuff!
    2. People who reach forward or behind themselves to close my window shade without asking me. Wait, that’s MY window!

  48. Half the plane boarding in Group 2 because United decided to offer that privilege to everyone who has the United Mileageplus Explorer card. Apparently everyone and their mothers has that card. So much for actually being a frequent flyer with elite status.

  49. The fact that planes are too full is a problem for the airline, but doesn’t change the fact that the seats are made to recline. Unless I’m flying for work, I usually fly 1st class these days, and I recline there too.

  50. I still recline. If we weren’t supposed to recline, the seats wouldn’t have the ability to do so.

  51. When people in rows behind you don’t let you out of your row. Similar to those who jam into a subway car before people can exit. Serenity now!

  52. I used to agree with that, but not anymore. Planes are too full. Seats are too close. Fine to recline on an overnight flight, but otherwise, I keep mine up.

  53. I’m sorry but have to disagree with you on the recline issue. If the seat has recline, then I’m going to recline. If you don’t like it, pay for business class.

  55. That switch in your brain that stops you from saying those thoughts, mine dont work!

  57. Im just curious , do you ever verbally say anything to these people(offenders) Im far from shy and have opened my mouth on many occasions,as i get hit in the head as they walk down the isle. sometimes im actually rewarded by the attendants with free goodies above & beyond since they cant say anything and i do.

  58. 5) Boarding line breakers: Oh God, yes! I can’t blame the skippers; skippers gonna skip. I blame the clueless agents that don’t enforce the rules. I didn’t break my back achieving elite status to get skipped by the sometime traveler.

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