Dreamworks
In a world in which travel (specifically of the air variety) is becoming both cheaper and (sometimes) more comfortable, there’s just one thing that drives flyers more mad than anything else. It’s not lack of Wi-Fi or too tiny seats (although those are problems, too), though; it’s the other people on your plane–the ones who talk too much, take too many selfies (#FLYING!!!), and refuse to stay in their tiny-ass seats, even when their place is by the window.
In a new survey released today by Hipmunk, 1,650 people of all ages revealed what types of travelers were the most monstrous when it came to long plane rides. At the top of the list? The drunk traveler, likely because there’s no way to predict how they’ll behave or what they’ll say while they’re sitting next to you. Plus, about two hours into a six-hour-flight, sitting next to someone who smells like they’re running a distillery in row 12 makes most people want to either go for the barf bag or jump straight out a window just to catch a tiny breath of fresh air (even a trip to the bathroom, which is guaranteed to burn your nose off with its chemical smell, might be a welcome relief).
But if the traveler who’s been over-served is the worst, they’re certainly not the only type of offender that makes travelers roll their eyes. Coming up behind the heavy drinker is the person who talks way too much. You know the type: the kind of person who’ll try to talk your ear off about their kids, their travel plans, their job, and their most profound life experiences even as you put on your headphones, bury your nose in a book, or put on a sleeping mask and pray that the flight will either end shortly or crash deep into the ocean so you can have a few blessed moments of solitude before you have to fight for a spot on a life raft.
There’s no end to the type of nightmare travelers most of us can’t stand, however. Other pain-in-the-necks include sick flyers (although there’s nothing you can do about someone with the flu), seat kickers (usually kids who can be calmed with a coloring book and an extra-large dose of Benadryl), and travel braggers. These are all expected, but then there are the type of problematic travelers who we don’t often think about, but should be thankful we don’t have to sit next to on every flight. These include the people who won’t stop taking selfies (with the stick), those who jam their seats back until it looks like they’re expecting you to give them a head massage, and people whose designated spot is by the window, but who refuse to accept their fate, forcing their way past the others in their row with false cries of “small bladder” every time you’re about to fall asleep for just one goddamn second. And let’s not even talk about the arm rest hogs.
While those who carry on too many items despite repeated admonitions not to and oversharers (no, I don’t need to know about your kidney stones, thank you) aren’t surprises on the list, it’s unfortunate that “accidental cuddlers” wasn’t a choice that travelers were given as an option. We’ve all had a complete stranger mistake our beautiful biceps for their own personal hug apparatus. Conversely we’ve all woken up to the shriek of a fellow passenger after reaching for them mid-REM cycle. Right? Right?
If nothing else, these revelations should remind you that we’re all just a couple of drinks away from being a passenger other passengers hate, so consider your seat mates and try to be as courteous as possible the next time you take to the friendly skies. After all, we’re all just trying to get from point A to point B without losing our minds.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever experienced on a plane?
(Via Hipmunk)
