Airports, Airlines, Aviation

Top 5 Annoying Airline Seatmates


Flying today can be a stressful endeavor and a good seatmate when you are flying solo is a crucial and horribly random. We have all been on a flight where our seatmate has severely put a damper on our experience. In the age of less seat pitch and decrease seat width, having an unruly seatmate can spell disaster for a long flight. Some common unwanted seatmates are the “Stinker” a less than glamorous smelling human or the “boozer” who drinks four mixed drinks in an hour and half tells you all of his family issues and uses you as a crutch to help him off the aircraft. As more airlines cram more passengers into smaller spaces with fewer amenities, more passengers have to grit their teeth to be polite.Rear Seat Kicker – Nothing pisses me off more than when someone is constantly slamming against the back of my seat. My rule of thumb is you get three kicks and after that I am saying something. It’s the total lack of respect that gets me. We are all in this together, I can understand one random kick but three, that intentional and something must be done. I understand the space is limited but we all face the same problem, so keep those squirrel legs and feet flat on the floor.

rear seat

Chatty Kathy – The Chatty Kathy I have mixed feelings on. I have been on some flights with really fascinating and interesting people that I fully enjoyed engaging with. There are times however when you just want to be left alone. If I pop my headphones in that is a clear sign I would like to be left in peace. If I am reading a book, I usually can’t engage at the same time. I understand some people are just extremely friendly but there is a time and place to tell the rich history of your beloved hometown. It most likely isn’t on the Southwest flight from BWI-BOS.

Arm Rest Hog – When it comes to the armrest rules I go by these criteria. Outside seat gets outside armrest, middle seat gets the two middle armrests and inside get the inside arm rest and the wall. When I have been forced take a middle seat, I am disturbed by the people in the inside and outside who try and hog my armrests. The armrests are all I have, I have nowhere to go. I can’t lean into you, I am in the wilderness of the middle seat with no freedom. Let me have the two armrests while your enjoy aisle legroom and a window to lean on.

plane and trains

Inattentive Parents – I have no issue with kids flying on airplanes. One day I might face a situation where I have a crying baby and everybody on the aircraft is staring at me with dagger eyes. So I can sympathize with parents who face that situation. What drives me batty is when the parents let their kids roam freely about the cabin. I was on an Emirates flight from DXB-JFK and a woman had 4 kids in 4 seats plus herself. She could not be bothered by what her kids where doing, she was very into the movie she was watching. Her kids were running up and down the aisles, changing clothes, tacking things from people and dancing. At first it was a little funny and cute but over thirteen hours and became a bit much. The stewardess did ask her to take control of them but there was a language barrier and the message didn’t get across.

airplane kids

Overhead Bin Stuffer – I love/can’t stand these people. They have no concept of how big their bag is and how small some overhead bins are. They waltz onto the plane with a smile ear to ear and try and stuff a 50lb bag that could barley fit into their trunk into a an overhead bins that can barley fit a duffel bag. They act perplexed at the situation, give the bag an additional thrust but to no avail. Then a look a bewilderment comes across their face as to what to do with the overstuffed luggage. Eventually a crew member informs them they will have to gate check their bag at which time bewilderment turns into anger to offset the slight embarrassment. It’s fascinating to watch the roller coaster of emotions that comes over person in such a short period of time. Love these people.

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So those are my top five annoying airline passengers. What are you top five? Be sure to share them in the comments section and as always make sure to use tripchi as your ultimate guide to the best airport experience. Travel On!

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