'Annoying' plane passenger habits include kids kicking seat and loud talkers - Daily Star

'Annoying' plane passenger habits include kids kicking seat and loud talkersA study of 2,000 airline passengers found that people using devices without headphones, talking too loudly, and

taking ages to put their bags in the overhead lockers were some of the biggest irritationsTravelSteve Richmond14:51, 21 May 2025This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a

commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreIt is children kicking the back of their chair that was most annoying, according to 36%.(Image: SWNS) A survey of 2,000 jet-setters

uncovered a plethora of in-flight pet peeves, with the most infuriating being youngsters kicking the back of seats, which riled 36% of respondents. Other aerial annoyances included

device-users sans headphones, loudmouthed chatterboxes, and dawdlers blocking the aisles while stashing their carry-ons. Sitting next to a motor-mouthed stranger, toilet queues, and armrest

hogs also ranked high on the list of 20 biggest peeves.

Travel insurance outfit Staysure commissioned the research, with a spokesperson commenting: "Bringing so many different people all together in one enclosed space for a long period of time

can be quite an intense experience, sometimes, enabling minor irritations to bubble away."

The spokesperson continued: "Crying children, seat reclining, and loud fellow passengers can often be frequently encountered on a journey, with the research showing many people can end up a

little annoyed on this travel leg of the trip. But drunken and disorderly travellers are also unwelcome, not only by fellow flyers but the airline crew as well."

Interestingly, 14% of respondents were miffed by their fellow fliers retrieving their bags from overhead lockers before the plane had even reached the gate. However, 15% confessed to being

guilty of some of these annoying habits themselves, with a whopping 54% prioritising armrest domination.

Nearly half of flyers find themselves regularly peeved off by in-flight antics, with a grumbling 47% fed up to the back teeth and 8% ticked off on every trip, if you believe the latest

OnePoll figures. With roughly 44% venting their spleen via a loud sigh or huff, while a fiery 19% have even ended up in a full-on ding-dong.

Looks like not everyone's eager for a natter though – 37 % are well up for a chinwag with the stranger in the next seat until they copped that they'd gab your ear off for the flight's

duration. And then there's the 17% who wouldn't say boo to a goose, choosing to give any yammer a wide berth – and 25% fake forty winks just to dodge a blather.

Now get this - a whopping 76% reckon it's about time we had a kiddie corral in the sky, as 18% lose their rag over bawling sprogs more than a disorderly adult. But still, 37% get more wound

up by boisterous grown-ups, and a stonking 88% figure the destination's got something to do with passenger conduct. As for hitting the sauce mid-air, 44% think it's high time for a booze

ban.

A Staysure mouthpiece weighed in: "This research has given us a look at a topic everyone seemingly has a strong opinion on. However, once the flight is out of the way, you feel like you can

really get on and enjoy your holiday."

A spokesperson noted: "As the survey has shown, there's a long list of things that might irritate us on the plane and you never know what you might encounter."

The wise words continued: "We can't insure people against annoying passengers but it's always wise to have tailored travel insurance in place to keep yourself protected should anything more

serious happen before or during your trip."

Article continues below Here are the top 20 most annoying in-flight experiences that have people pulling their hair out:

Little rascals constantly kicking the back of your chair.Screaming kids.Someone reclining their seat unexpectedly.Drunken passengers raising hell.People blasting their electronic devices

without using headphones.Loudmouths nattering on.Slowpokes taking an eternity to stuff their bags into the overhead locker at boarding.Passengers leaping up to collect their overhead locker

goodies before the plane's even stopped.The louder-than-loud crowd who shout the house down after one too many drinks.Someone yanking the back of your seat to get up.Trapped next to a

stranger who never stops chatting.Munchkins sprinting down the aisle.Loo queues from hell.Flyers constantly popping up to add and subtract items from the overhead bin.Passengers with

constant coughs that never quit.A comatose seatmate blocking your path to the loo.Seatmates who selfishly grab both armrests.Subpar food on board.Passengers sitting in the wrong seat at

first boarding.Rumble snorers.