New rude passenger craze sweeping planes that could get you banned from flying
PASSENGERS are really ramping up their annoying behaviour this summer.
I understand that excitement can sometimes get the better of you, particularly if it’s your first big holiday away with your friends, but you need to start showing some decorum.
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Sadly, things only seem to be getting worse rather than better – and this summer there’s been a huge increase in the number of people listening to music out loud in the cabin.
That’s been a common problem since the invention of smartphones, with people listening to music and watching TV shows without the use of headphones.
But groups of passengers are now opting to take things even further by connecting their phones to bluetooth speakers.
In this week’s blog for Sun Online Travel, I’ll explain exactly why that’s completely unacceptable – and what the consequences could be for anyone who does this on board our flights.
For some reason, this summer seems to be the year of the bluetooth speaker on board our flights – it has happened before, but never as much as it is now.
I’ve even come across two rival groups doing it on the same flight at the same time, en route to Ibiza.
I hate to pigeonhole, but it’s usually groups of younger holidaymakers, thinking that everyone else on board is happy to indulge their awful behaviour, when the truth is we absolutely aren’t.
No one wants to hear other people’s music out loud during flights and it’s incredibly rude to think that other people should just tolerate it.
It’s not like a normal public situation, where anyone who doesn’t want to listen to the music can just go somewhere else.
We can’t go elsewhere – we’re trapped inside a narrow metal tube with you and the last thing we want to do is put up with you deciding to have a party mid-flight.
Not everyone on the flight is there for the same reason as you, nor do we all have the same tastes.
Some people could be travelling home for a family emergency, funerals, or other less-than-celebratory reasons.
Others might be neurodivergent and loud noises make them feel uncomfortable.
A list of plane faux pas you should never make
I've been a flight attendant for more than a decade now - here are the etiquette mistakes you should never make on board
- Never listen to music or watch films without your headphones on – you have no idea why other people are on the same flight as you and it’s top of the most annoying things you can do in a plane cabin.
- Never bring smelly food on board the plane – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a snack or two on board in case you get peckish, but please make sure it’s nothing that’s going to stink the cabin out. No one wants to put up with your boiled eggs while we’re in mid-air.
- Never take your socks off during a flight – I can just about deal with people taking their shoes off, but socks is another level. Keep your feet covered at all times, especially if you go to the toilet. That’s not water on the floor in there.
- Always use the toilet for baby changing – It seems crazy that I even have to mention this, but I’ve seen people changing their babies in all sorts of places, including the tray tables and the seats. It’s really grim behaviour.
- Dress for the flight, not for the beach – A lot of people seem to think the plane will be as hot and sunny as their destination. No one wants to see you in a bikini or swimming shorts for your flight, so please dress appropriately.
These are all things that people just don’t seem to be taking into account any longer, especially if they’re even thinking about playing music through a speaker to the rest of the plane.
Anyone who does this will immediately be told to stop and repeat offenders will suffer far greater consequences.
Remember, we have your names and we know exactly where you were sitting in the cabin.
Continued anti-social behaviour can be met with an airline ban – so you’ll have to find your flights elsewhere.
But every airline will have a similar policy, so if you aren’t prepared to behave yourself, then be prepared to stay at home for the rest of your life.
You certainly won’t be welcome on board our flights any longer.
Meanwhile, this flight attendant revealed why you should always bring your own food on board planes when you fly.
And this is why you should avoid a certain drink before you get on board a flight.