Flight Attendants and Pilots, How Do Passengers Annoy You? Here’s What People Said.

It really makes my blood boil when people act like a**holes on airplanes and at airports and treat crew members like garbage.

Just keep your opinions to yourself, go along with the program, and you’ll be at your destination before you know it.

It’s really as easy as that! But you know some people have to cause problems wherever they go…

So, what annoys people who work on airplanes for a living?

Here’s what folks had to say on AskReddit.

1. Ugh.

“Poking or grabbing at me to get my attention!!

And it’s usually on my as** as it’s eye level with most people haha. But for real DON’T poke people! Especially if I am speaking to another passenger. I can see you waving at me I’m not going to interrupt my assisting someone else because you want me to take your trash, just give me a second and I’ll come to you next.

I promise can hear you if you say “excuse me!” Or “Miss!” Or even wave a little in my direction. There’s just no need to touch people or grab at them.

Once I was so irritated at someone’s incessant poking, I turned, looked them in the eye and poke poke poked them right back and said, “what do you need.””

2. Not my fault.

“Check-in Agent here.

When the plane is delayed or there’s a cancellation and passengers blame us! Honestly there’s nothing more we want than getting you on the plane to your holiday or back home but if there’s something physically wrong with the plane we will not risk everyone’s lives.

Shouting, screaming and cursing at us won’t change the fact that the plane is still broken!”

3. So rude.

“Leaving a ridiculous amount of garbage behind.

Last week I had a couple spit huge globs of gum onto the floor and then step on it to try to rub it in.

Like seriously? Why?”

4. Gross.

“Don’t try to join the mile high club. Just, stop.

Don’t have s** in the bathrooms y’all. No, you aren’t being very quiet and yes we will know and depending on the airline policy we’ll also have to politely ask you to knock it off and keep it in your pants.

Not to mention the obvious – airplane restrooms are ridiculously tiny, to the point where once on one long haul we had to make an emergency landing because a large couple couldn’t get out of the restroom they had shoved themselves into once they were done.

I’ll add that this is THE grossest place to possibly want to do the deed, as restrooms NEVER GET DEEP-CLEANED, EVER (between same-day legs)

Ugh, and please don’t jerk your partner off while you’re both in your seats, with OUR COMPLEMENTARY BLANKET(!!!).

I know what your hand motions mean and I will have to come over and shut it down, especially because in most cases there are families with kids sitting behind or near you.”

5. I’m pretty sure that’s on you.

“The stories I have….which honestly anyone who’s worked any type of customer service knows what’s up.

My personal favorite. College athlete showed up late to flight, told couldn’t board, yelling, screaming and cursing all employees. Bringing her race up as reason they aren’t letting her on….you know the works.

The competition she missed the flight to was Olympic tryouts. How late was she you ask? She showed up two hours after the flight left…”

6. Jeez…

“They mayor of LA was coming though so they shut the gate down for security reasons.

Jay Leno was there for some reason and was screaming at my mom because he was not getting the same treatment as the mayor.”

7. No touching.

“After a flight I usually stand by the flight deck and say good bye to the passengers as they exit.

I get a lot of people that ask how old I am. That doesn’t really bother me (I’ll probably be sad when it stops), but please don’t touch me as you are saying it. Seriously, strangers trying to pinch cheeks and pat my head.

Lady, I’m not your grandchild, I’m your captain.”

8. LOL.

“Used to fly 50 seat jets for a regional. Flew with some captains who hated hearing “wow this plane is really small” as passengers boarded.

“It would look pretty big parked in your driveway” was my favorite response I heard. The plane was 100′ long and weighed 50,000 lbs so yeah I bet it would.”

9. Follow the rules…

“Ex EK cabin crew here. Honestly the most annoying thing is when passenger don’t follow safety protocols as we get ready for landing. Things such as…

Not putting on seat belts for whatever reason Not putting seats upright Taking your time in the toilet Standing up to grab things from overhead bin
…Among other things

There are a lot to do to prep a long haul flight for landing and once we start decent, there is a limited time to get everything done. Passengers who don’t cooperate definitely are the most annoying. There were times where I got to my jump seat right before landing on the runway.

I saw a reply above on running out of food choices. One time on a flight to New Delhi, in economy we ran out of vegetarian meals 2/3 way through because catering underestimated the demand.

We then ran through the crew meals to gather all the vegetarian options and gave those out to passengers. While planes aren’t restaurants, we definitely did our best to accommodate the passengers as best as we can.”

10. Out of our hands.

“Blaming us for: ATC delays, missed connections, baggage issues, etc.

We have no control over that…we just fly planes and keep you safe aboard.

We understand we’re the face of the company you see at the time, but really it’s out of our hands.”

11. From a pilot.

“Pilot here.

My worst experiences with customers is when the weather is bad and we have to either wait or make a no go decision. My personal favorite is the guy who screamed at me while I was in the terminal getting coffee because his flight wasn’t leaving on time.

The whole northeast was shut down for thunderstorms and low ceilings, but his iPhone said it was ok for us to go so he had to tell me how bad I am at my job.

As a passenger don’t say “thanks for finally showing up”. One it’s incredibly rude, two you may only have one flight that day but I probably had four. Chances are I was delayed because of a another flight or maintenance on some other plane.

Added to that we often only get 45 mins to an hour between flights which ends to requiring us to literally get off one right onto another. We have to grab food or maybe use a real bathroom in that time also.

Don’t ask if we were out late last night drinking. You may say it as a joke and think it’s funny but we have to take those comments seriously. There is a chance that comment will force the pilots to go take a breathalyzer and your flight may be delayed or canceled. If you honestly smell booze speak up. If not it’s not funny and keep your mouth shut.

Not an annoyance but I do love the look on peoples faces when I tell them “sorry I don’t know where the nearest X is, this is my first time at this airport”. We don’t pre plan and memorize the layouts of the terminals at every airport in the world.”

12. The straight dope.

“Former flight attendant here… 15 years I’ve seen it all! (and sorry for formatting, on mobile)

Walking throughout the aircraft barefoot. Especially into the toilets… Those floors are not as clean as you think they are!

People who talk to us and treat us like scum. And yes, we’ll provide better service to the ones who are nice, or think of them first when a whole row is free and they need to lie down and sleep during an 11hr flight.

Parents that don’t watch their kids during the flight. The aircraft isn’t childproof and there’s a surprising amount of things they can injure themselves on.

Passengers who do aircraft yoga during the service. By all means if lights are off and it’s quiet go ahead, but if there’s a buzz of activity near the galley then maybe wait a while.

Speaking of which, assuming the galley is a free for all. Sometimes we don’t get provided crew food for work and bring our own. If we’re busy attending to a call bell and can’t finish out snack or whatever… Its not for you to just grab and eat… At least ask first!

Complaining about how rough the flight was. I’ve had some cuss out the flight deck about their abilities because the aircraft hit wake turbulence… If you can magically see wake turbulence on a tiny monitor and think you can do a better job then join a flight academy, pay several thousand dollars for the training and certification and do it yourself…”

Now we want to hear from you.

What annoys you when you fly?

Talk to us in the comments and let us know!

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Pilots Discuss What They Wish They Could Tell Passengers

Being a pilot is not easy and it comes with a ton of pressure to keep everyone on board safe and comfortable.

I’ve been on enough plane rides to know that the seatbelt sign is on for a reason. I’ve found turbulence can pretty uncomfortable and usually a few passengers voice their displeasure when it happens. Unfortunately, turbulence isn’t the only thing pilots have to worry about.

Pilots are human beings like us and they think of lots of things in addition to lifting off, flying and landing.

Here are 13 confessions from pilots they wish people knew but will never share.

1. Taking off brings out their inner child

You would say it, too.

I love to watch the skyline tilt as the plane ascends. It makes me feel like I’m a kid on my way to Disney World again!

Source: Whisper

2. Prankster

That’ll keep ’em awake. Unfortunately none of my pilots have cracked jokes over the AV system.

Source: Whisper

3. Not immune to fear

Facing their fears every day. Inspiring!

I don’t think I could do this job. I enjoy flying, but I’m not good with heights.

Source: Whisper

4. Sleepy head

A passenger seat is better for a cat nap.

I’ve never seen a pilot asleep in the cabin, but if I was a pilot, I think I would consider doing it.

I’m nocturnal, so it could happen!

Source: Whisper

5. Not perfect

Hey, it’s a lot to memorize! There are so many things to remember and manage. It’s remarkable.

Source: Whisper

6. The sky is their playground

But they’ll put the seatbelt sign on, at least. Thank goodness none of my pilots ever did this.

The image of the heart is on point because mine would be out of my chest!

Source: Whisper

7.  A hero

We’d all want to brag about it, to be honest.

All of my flights have been flown by very professional, skilled pilots, which means flying hasn’t exactly exciting.

I don’t have a wild personal story about a heroic pilot, but I treasure feeling safe.

Source: Whisper

8. Wow

So it’s not just in the movies, then.

I really hope this isn’t common among pilots. It disturbs me that it happens at all.

Source: Whisper

9. Sleep-Deprived

Not exactly a comforting thing to read. I’m going to be thinking about this the next time I’m on a plane. (Shudders)

Source: Whisper

10. No room for illness

The stakes are high. I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to wonder if your health or a perceived health issue could end your career.

Source: Whisper

11. A Power Trip

Well that’s one way to pass the time…

I loved to pull stunts like this as a kid when I was bored, but as an adult at work? I’m not sure.

Caption: Whisper

12. They pay a price for a career in the sky

That’s so sad. Poor kid. I would have missed my dad so much if he was absent this much.

Source: Whisper

13. Their thoughts can be darker than an overnight flight

Horror movie material. I hope pilots are evaluated for problematic thoughts.

Source: Whisper

Next time I get on the plane I’m definitely going to wonder what my pilots have gone through in their careers and I’m grateful all of my flights have been uneventful — not even any screaming children!

I will make a point to thank my pilots on my next flight — whenever that will be.

Has your pilot ever shared any stories with the passengers about life in the skies?

Leave us a comment.

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Hysterical Memes About Traveling and Spending Time at the Airport

You see every cross-section of society at the airport. Young, old, all nationalities, all genders, all races.

Of course, you take the good with the bad when you travel. Because on top of the excitement of getting to see new places and new faces is the unfortunate reality that people can be annoying and traveling can be a big hassle.

And that’s why these memes make perfect sense!

1. That is very funny.

Photo Credit: deMilked

2. You’re not going anywhere.

Photo Credit: deMilked

3. In good hands.

Photo Credit: deMilked

4. Sweet, sweet relief.

Photo Credit: deMilked

5. That has to be what they’re thinking.

Photo Credit: deMilked

6. Oh, there it is!

Photo Credit: deMilked

7. Are you sure about that?

Photo Credit: deMilked

8. No time for drama.

Photo Credit: deMilked

9. Bring everything you own, just in case.

Photo Credit: deMilked

10. We have to be there 9 hours early.

Photo Credit: deMilked

11. They’re also a genius!

Photo Credit: deMilked

12. All kinds of reactions.

Photo Credit: deMilked

13. What’s taking them so long…?

Photo Credit: deMilked

Those memes are right on the money, don’t you think? Please, be honest. We don’t want our feelings messed with.

Oh, here’s another question! Do you travel a lot for either work or fun? Or maybe both? Share a funny/ridiculous/outrageous travel story in the comments.

Let’s compare notes, fam!

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This Is Why Your Phone Struggles for Service on Airport Tarmacs

One thing is certain when you’re on the tarmac: your cell phone service sucks. Unfortunately for passengers sending a “taking off” or “just landed” text from the airport tarmac, the message never seems to reach its destination in a timely fashion.

From a logical perspective, perhaps being trapped inside a sealed metal plane explains why your cell phone struggles for service worse than me trying to make a decision at the buffet. It turns out you can blame the structural design of both airports and planes for the terribly slow service on the tarmac.

Christopher Schaberg, a writer for The Atlantic, spoke to three commercial pilots who fly for major airlines like Delta and British Airways in order to discover the secret behind the slow cell service on airport tarmacs. The professor at Loyola University of New Orleans discovered that cellular antennae often do not provide sufficient coverage to span the entire distance of an airport, including the tarmac.

Airports utilize distributed antenna systems that work best indoors. Unfortunately for travelers (and even pilots), those antennae really only work inside the terminal. That lack of capacity combined with the plane’s materials—which are obviously designed for structural integrity rather than connectivity—means that anyone sitting in the tarmac has a better chance of winning the lottery than refreshing their Instagram feed in a timely fashion.

And if your flight gets delayed, the connection conundrum only gets worse.

To avoid the painful boredom of sitting in the cabin with nothing to do, try downloading some content before boarding your flight. Having a few episodes of your favorite show stored in your downloads will come in handy to pass the time, especially if weather or technical issues cause a delay.

Believe me, bing-watching a few episodes of Breaking Bad is far better than thumbing through the safety evacuation manual.

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Here’s Why It’s Impossible for Someone to Open a Plane Door Mid-Flight

On rare occasions, an airplane passenger decides they want to trying to disrupt a flight…while in midair.

The bad news is the rest of the passengers can get quite a scare watching someone, who is usually drunk, have a breakdown and go for the exit door.

The good news is it’s impossible to get the door open while the plane is in flight.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

There are a couple of reasons why no passenger, for any reason, could release a plane door during a flight.

The first reason is that plane doors are mechanically latched closed, and only the pilot has the controls to unlock them. Next time you’re in a plane making a landing, listen for the pilot’s announcement, “doors to manual.” At that point – and only at that point – the unlocking control is undone, allowing someone else to open the doors.

Pilot Patrick Smith, on his blog AskThePilot, explains that the reason why the doors can be opened once the plane is on the ground is in case of an emergency evacuation. A similar announcement, “disarm doors,” refers to the function of deploying slides, if needed. “Those slides can unfurl with enough force to kill a person, and you don’t want them billowing onto the jet bridge or into a catering truck.”

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

So, yes. If the plane is on the ground, it is possible for a passenger to get a door open.

But, in flight, it is literally impossible – and that’s because of reason #2…

Air pressure. Planes are pressurized on the inside during flights because of the lack of oxygen at typical cruising altitudes. We can’t breathe up there without pumped-in air.

Photo Credit: Flickr

The air that keeps the cabin pressurized so we can breathe also seals the doors shut. The doors actually fit the plane like plugs. To give you an idea of the amount of pressure keeping cabin doors sealed, at usual cruising altitude there will be eight pounds of pressure per square inch of the plane’s interior. This works out to 1,100 pounds pushing against every square foot of door.

Meaning no one is opening any airplane door while it’s flying. So get back to worrying about something more likely to happen: your luggage getting lost.

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Woman Who Wore a “Hail Satan” T-Shirt Onto a Plane Was Forced to Change It or Get Thrown Off

I would probably never wear a shirt like this, but we live in a free society where people can wear whatever they want, wherever they want…actually, never mind, this shirt is pretty cool and I admit it that I would probably wear it in public.

A woman named Swati Runi Goyal was recently flying from Florida to Nevada, and, not thinking of potential consequences, she donned a t-shirt that said “Hail Satan. Est. 666” for the trip. The shirt also featured an upside-down cross (for good measure).

But when Goyal boarded her flight, she was told by an American Airlines crew member that she had to change her shirt or she would be removed from the plane.

Goyal is a member of The Satanic Temple, and she bought the shirt to support the organization. Despite the name, the Temple is known for activism on such issues as the separation of church and state, religious freedom, and free speech. Goyal said, “It’s an ironic shirt. People usually laugh at it, or they give me a thumbs-up because they understand the meaning behind it.”

Goyal said about the incident, a crew-member “said, ‘Our crew has found your shirt to be offensive.’ We initially just thought it was a joke. But he repeated the directive, and there was another female crew member who was behind him with her arms crossed looking very angry.”

Goyal and her husband refused to get off the plane. She continued, “The man said, ‘Your shirt is offensive. Do you know what that means?’” I said, ‘I’m a foreign-born minority woman, I understand ‘offensive,’ and this shirt is not offensive.’”

A standoff ensued and the flight crew brought on a customer service agent to tell Goyal she would not be able to fly while wearing the shirt. Eventually, Goyal’s husband gave her a layer of the clothing he was wearing, and she reluctantly agreed to cover up the language on her shirt so the flight could take off.

Goyal said she was humiliated over the incident. “I’m just an ordinary-looking person.I’m not goth. I don’t have piercings. I wasn’t wearing a shirt that had a goat being beheaded on it. [I was] wearing L.L.Bean hiking pants and vegan sneakers. I mean, I couldn’t look like more of a nerd.”

After the flight, Goyal complained to American Airlines. The airline initially refused to apologize and sent an email that read in part that they “have policies in place to ensure that no passengers are subjected to objectionable situations while on board. Our flight attendants have a responsibility to all passengers in our care, and we must sometimes make difficult decisions associated with the application of our policies.”

After Goyal tweeted about her experience and the story went viral, the company said “Discrimination has no place at American Airlines” on Twitter. A spokesperson for the airline said, “We apologize to Ms. Goyal for her experience, and we are reaching out to her to understand what occurred.”

What do you think about this story? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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A Guy Got Punished for Trying to Sneak a Fat Cat on a Plane

People can legally bring animals on flights. Some airlines allow you to fly with your pet, either in the cabin or as checked baggage. All airlines are required to allow service animals to fly with their disabled humans.

But in all circumstances, there are specific rules that apply, for the safety of you, your pet, and the other passengers and crew. Rules that Mikhail Galin did not consider or give a flying flip about when he decided to try to sneak his cat (who was over the kitty weight limit) on board.

Posted by Mikhail Galin on Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The saga began when Aeroflot, a Russian-based airline, refused to let Galin’s cat, Viktor, fly home with him the cabin. Galin was worried about putting his little buddy in the cargo hold, though, because he knows that Viktor gets nervous in unfamiliar settings and also that the pressure changes are hard for him.

So, instead of taking no for an answer, Galin took to social media in search of a cat who looked like Viktor, except skinnier.

Once the perfect match was found, Galin checked in with the skinnier cat, then simply traded it back for Viktor to a friend who took the littler guy (or gal) home (where can only assume he had a treat and then got on his kitty treadmill).

Galin and Viktor boarded the flight without issue, but he was busted by airport surveillance footage, which showed him swapping the cats.

The old switcheroo was caught, and for Galin (and Viktor), the jig was up.

As a penalty, the airline stripped Galin of his frequent flyer status and removed his 400,000 saved miles.

Ouch.

View this post on Instagram

Тигр! #викторthecat

A post shared by Mikhail Galin (@mikhail_galin) on

But I mean, he seems to really love his cat, so I’m guessing it’s a small price to pay.

Next time, though, maybe just hire a pet sitter.

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This Is Why Ginger Ale Should Be Your Go-To In-Flight Drink

You may already have a favorite flying beverage, but the next time you travel, if you’re craving something crisp and satisfying, try a bubbly ginger ale.

Your on the ground experience with ginger ale may be limited to days when you don’t feel one hundred percent. Or you may be used to ginger ale as only a mixer.

Photo Credit: Flickr

So drinking a ginger ale by itself? Sounds weird, doesn’t it?

As a soft drink, ginger ale is not nearly as popular as the Coca-Colas and the Dr. Peppers are, particularly in the United States. In the skies, however, ginger ale is at the top of the pops.

Photo Credit: Public Domain Pictures

The thin, dry air in a plane, coupled with less atmospheric pressure, actually changes the way our taste buds react to certain flavors. Saltiness and sweetness don’t register on our tongues the same way they do on the ground. That’s why salty bloody mary’s and tomato juice taste so good when we fly.

It’s also why sweet ginger ale tastes so refreshing, so crisp and dry. So…exactly what you might be craving.

Ginger has long been a home remedy for upset stomachs. So, if you’re a nervous flyer with a twitchy tummy, a ginger ale can help settle it.

Be aware though, some ginger ales (like Canada Dry) actually have no ginger in them. The flavor and the carbonation is what can soothe stomaches.

You may get lucky, though, and be offered a brand with real ginger. If you see it on the cart, ask for it. You’ll be glad you did.

Photo Credit: Max Pixel

Ginger ale is just the sort of drink that helps make flying the special event that it is. The taste and bubbles make traveling almost festive. Next time, order the ginger ale.

Cheers.

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This Is How Google Flights Can Help You Travel Cheaper

Traveling can be very expensive, so looking for cheap flights is crucial if you want to save a little money. Unfortunately, some websites make it hard to find a good deal.

Google Flights just introduced an update meant to help you find the best price for a flight. If you’ve used it recently, you may have seen alerts that pop up and let you know about any nearby airports. These pop-ups were created to help you find cheaper flight options at airports other than the one you initially were looking at.

Photo Credit: Screenshot, Google Flights

Sites such as The Points Guy and Thrifty Traveler first made mention of the new feature, and those guys definitely know what they’re talking about. So, worth checking out.

Pop-ups appear after you click “Nearby Airports” and usually look like this:

Photo Credit: Google Flights

Often times another airport may get you a better price, even if it winds up being slightly less convenient. And with this new update, Google Flights will also advise you on the best itinerary if you do decide to switch to another airport.

In the past, Google Flights allowed you to search for deals by clicking on more than one airport, but this new update makes it easier to play around with options until you find the best one.

In the end, people in larger metropolitan areas will benefit the most because Google Flights will alert them to better deals nearby. It is what it is, big cities just have more airport options.

Additional updates to Google Flights will also give you a glimpse of other types of deals, especially if you have flexible plans.

If you’ve already checked out Google Flights, let us know if it lives up to the hype. We’d love to hear more about whether or not these updates were useful!

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This Is What You Should Do If You Lose Your ID Before a Flight

If you’ve ever experienced that panic when you’re ready to leave for the airport, and suddenly can’t find your I.D., then you know the hopeless feeling of mentally watching your fun (or necessary, if it’s for work) trip go right down the drain.

So, what should you do when it happens to you?

First of all, it’s important to find and pack any other documents you have that can identify you or help your case (assuming you don’t have a passport or Global Entry card) – a Social Security card, birth certificate, bank card, insurance card, even utility bills – because you’ll likely have to explain your case to (a hopefully sympathetic) security officer.

If they approve what you’ve brought, you’ll be able to proceed through security with a boarding pass that proves you’ve shown some form of ID.

If they don’t, fear not – you can still complete the TSA’s “identity verification” process, which will include “collecting information such as your name, current address, and other personal information to confirm your identity.”

It will take up to an additional two hours, however, so make sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

Also, it can be a pretty intense process. From one redditor who went through it:

“I give him my name, date of birth, and SSN. He tells me he’s going to relay some questions to me, then proceeds to ask some general questions (credit report-type stuff) then some non-general questions (what cities my parents were born in). After I answered all the questions they gave me the enhanced pat-down and then sent me to my flight.”

If you’ve got copies of your id, you’ll want to bring those, just in case.

Also, with the advent of READ-ID, all of this advice might soon be obsolete. So there’s that.

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