A new poll reveals what annoys Americans most on an airplane. What do you think is the most divisive behavior onboard an airplane?
Poll: The Most Divisive Behavior On An Airplane
YouGov polled 1,152 random Americans last month and asked them about pet peeves on airplanes. The results showed broad agreement that certain divisive behavior is off-limits while respondents were divided on some others.
More than 80% labeled the following behaviors unacceptable:
- let their children play in the aisle (86%)
- get drunk (82%)
- leave their seat during turbulence (82%)
- watch a movie or show without headphones (81%)
Other top pet peeves include:
- leaving trash in the seatback pocket when they exit the plane
- using both armrests when someone is sitting next to them
- eating strong-smelling food
- not pay attention during the safety demonstration
- exiting the plane before the people in the row in front of them
- doing exercises or stretches in the aisle
Americans were fairly even split on several things that I do…
- Remove your shoes
- Climbing over a seatmate to use the bathroom (what else are you supposed to do if you are sitting in a window…?)
- Leaving your overhead light on when the cabin lights are switched off
Meanwhile, most thought it was no problem to do the following:
- Lie down on the seats when sitting in an empty row
- Chat with a stranger next to them for the entire flight (please folks, only if they want to chat…)
- Recline your seat
- Push the flight attendant call button to ask for refreshments
Of that list, I agree that letting children run wild is totally unacceptable. Getting drunk is just a bad strategy in general, though I’d rather have a drunk who passes out than an obnoxious or smelly seatmate. But I do think my top pet peeve just in terms of absolute announce is not using headphones to listen to electronic devices.
How about you? What is your biggest airline pet peeve?
Got to be listening to things without headphones
Agree. Noise is invasive much like BO which one cannot simply ignore.
Leaving trash in the seat back isn’t a big deal although I do hand over all trash for the final garbage run the FA’s make.
I’m surprised many mind someone not watching the safety presentation. As long as they are not interfering with it for others, let them be assuming they have watched it before. Exercises in the aisle, if they’re done discreetly, can be understood if the person is worried about possible health issues.
Taking off shoes? That’s up to someone to do so at their peril. The floors of a plane are unusually nasty.
Heck, I think it’s interesting nobody mentioned one gross thing people do: Wear shorts and sleeveless shirts on the plane. I don’t want my skin touching seats that literally at least several thousand people have already sat on. Generally, I have clothes I consider “airplane clothes” that I either then put in a sealed bag for my return trip or wash IMMEDIATELY at my destination.
People who pick their nails or worse their noses.
Yapping on and on and on , on a mobile phone .
Absent is using the seatback in front of you to haul ones fat ass from ones seat thereby momentarily reclining the seat in front into a 180 lie-flat.
100%, Chris.
This is 100% the most obnoxious thing people do. Do not touch my seat except to lower and raise the tray table.
Agreed! Put your hand on your own (now empty) seat back if you need stability.
I think the removing shoes prompt needs further clarification. Personally, if you’re removing shoes to put on the socks/slippers that were provided, it’s not a problem. But going barefoot is where I would draw the line.
Here’s a few:
1) Putting your arm around the person sitting next to you
2) Wearing a mask
3) Asking the person sitting next to you if they are finishing their meal because it looks good…
How am I the only one that has ever been on a plane with some tub of lard low life that decides to …..clip their nails right at the seat and let them all fall where they may. Total trash.
I’ve had that happen several times and it was always men doing it. I then always say to them will you be brushing your teeth also?
My pet peeve is people in aisle seats who stretch their foot into the aisle. That is not their space.
Who cares if fellow pax don’t listen to the safety demonstration? The FAs are already there primarily for our safety. They’ve got everything under control.
Passengers with really bad body odor and the passenger behind me reaching from behind to close my window shade.
Yikes. I hate those too!
Breaking wind…crop dusting
Kicking my seat incessantly. And it’s not even reclined.
When boarding and but I’m seated people resting their hands on my seat as they chat to their friends pushing it back and forth.
When in Domestic F using the center beverage tray and both armrests for your personal devices, including phone, tablet, cords, books, etc.
These besides the others listed that are obvious. With any device blaring movies, games, or phone calls number one on the list.
I’ve reduced my fellow passengers to misery by excessively farting – doesn’t seem to have made the list.
My pet peeve, above all others, is when an obviously huge, overweight person decides to sit in the middle seat beside me, hogging my paid for space and both armrests when there are other aisle/window seats that they could choose available. People of this size should have to pay for two seats.
putting all of their bags in the overhead bins….letting their dog take over your foot-space….Being too big to put their try table down so they ask to use mine also being too big to keep their whole body in their seat so they spill over to mine–once it was biggons on both sides of me in the Middle….!!constantly putting stuff in the seat pocket behind me and then banging on their entertainment screen…
People who stand in the aisle to talk to a friend with their butt in your face.
mention trump to certain folks.
Even though I stated I don’t like Trump, and I haven’t voted in 20 years, this Malaysian-Australian (Lived in Oz for many many years – since young? Don’t remember – but perfect english) got all worked up about it as I was discussing something about Biden – dementia, prescription statin drugs or something like that…and also people unfairly denigrate Trump as well (Didn’t say it – but Trump derangement syndrome)….to the point where a person in front row (First Class Qantas domestic), looked back…
OK, people like you make the list. I don’t discuss religion, politics, Gaza, etc. with any stranger or in ear shot of others in confined spaces like a plane.
When your entire section has their window shades closed, and you’re the one jackass who has to keep theirs open letting in all the light.
On a daytime flight?
Yes, even on a daytime flight. The single window shade open with all the other window shades in the vicinity closed essentially magnifies and intensifies the light. Imagine sitting in a darkened room with a single spotlight pointed at the side of you. That’s essentially the equivalent.
If, on the other hand, most or all of the shades are open, then at least the light is balanced and easier on the eyes.
You’re really stirring the pot on controversial content these days aren’t you!