The internet is full of nightmare stories of rude passengers, entitlement, seat theft and general bad behavior when it comes to air travel.
Now one Reddit post shared on July 31 complaining about people taking more than the same room has sparked a huge discussion, with many sharing their own horror stories.
Newsweek also talk to experts who advise you on what to do—and what to avoid—for a stress-free flight.
The post that started it all, from user u/carrotpeelsoup, got 13,000 upvotes when they complained: “I’m done with people in my seat on the plane.
“I paid for the seat. I should be able to sit in all the seats. The seats are small enough. It’s so uncomfortable to have to touch random strangers for the entire time on the plane just because the airline designed a seat big enough for a 10-year-old.”
And they said Newsweek: “It’s fine if it’s just one, but I went on vacation and the way there and back was really uncomfortable because the person next to me was in my seat.
“On one flight, I couldn’t put the armrest down because the guy was actually sitting in my seat.”
They are not alone, as users flocked to the comments to share their own stories, u/gree_ribbon admitted: “Sometimes when people have their hands stretched out over the seat on the bus, I use my arm as an armrest. not like that.”
And as u/whoevenisanyone put it: “Don’t people know the rules? The seat window gets the window room, the middle person gets another arm and the hallway gets the ability to move freely.”
Travel expert and founder of Love and London, Jessica Dante, told Newsweek there are “key aviation etiquette tips” to stop flights from turning into frustrating scenarios.
“Once on board, respect people’s personal space by slowly reclining in their seats, and avoid excessive noise or distracting activities like watching movies on your phone without earphones.”
He also stressed that people should limit “strong fragrances,” including poor personal hygiene, and “avoid talking loudly,” especially when cabin crew are giving important information.
This seems like common sense to most people, but many Redditors have stories of passengers not thinking about their surroundings.
One user recalled a flight where she had “two unsupervised toddlers (sitting) next to me,” whose mother was sleeping, “kicking and screaming and invading my personal space. Can’t sleep and terrible back pain.”
And u/BanjosandBayous remembers sitting between two “equally big guys who were too big for the couch,” who were both asleep and “turned their heads inside so I had loud, drooly, pig snoring in each ear. It was horrible.”
When it comes to noise, user u/cupcake179 was stuck on a plane with a group of about 30 people, which was “too loud for the whole plane.”
“The kids are loud, they’re loud. Imagine a busy street with loud conversations all in a small space and you have no way to escape,” he said, adding that he could still hear even after putting on “the best noise cancellation. Your headphones can find.”
A recent YouGov poll on the ethics of air travel found that 80 per cent of respondents found that passengers should not allow their children to play in the aisle.
Other behaviors that have caused outrage among Americans include drunken flight passengers, ignoring emergency demonstrations by cabin crew, and using both armrests.
The issue of space invaders came up repeatedly in Reddit discussions, with u/BengoBuffalo recalling one man who spread his legs “so his thighs touched mine and proceeded to bounce his legs.”
He said he “hated confrontation, so I tried to clear my throat every few minutes and move my legs away from him but nothing helped.”
U/Neeagg123 admits her husband “has literally pushed a guy’s leg out of my place. Embarrassing but also appreciated because … why are your legs where I am.”
Etiquette expert Jo Hayes says it’s important to be aware of the arm and leg room you’re given, and “not to intrude on your neighbour’s space. . . .
Illustration Newsweek/ Getty Images
“If one of the bigger people, they might consider buying premium economy, or business class, to make sure they have enough space to travel comfortably and not intrude on their neighbors’ personal space.”
Both experts gave tips on how to be a more careful traveler, with Dante advising: “Keep patience and awareness in the very busy, often crowded terminals by avoiding the path that blocks the sidewalk with luggage and consider fellow travelers, especially those who are in a wheelchair.”
Once the plane is in the air, passengers must also be careful with bathroom etiquette, he said: be quick and clean and tidy. They should also “remember the position of the window shade as other passengers may want to rest or enjoy the view.”
And EtiquetteExpert.org founder Hayes warns people not to “put undue pressure on other passengers to switch seats,” to always use earplugs, never play loudly, never make loud calls and never make a mess while eating.
Do you have an outrageous flight story you’d like to share? Let us know through life@newsweek.com. We can get expert advice, and your story can be featured Newsweek.
