Manners and basic courtesy aren’t as common as you might think. The sad reality is that some people are so entitled that they don’t care how they inconvenience the folks around them—so long as they get what they want. While many individuals choose to ignore this misbehavior, others decide to push back in any small way that they can.
Redditor u/CupcakeParlor recently went viral after sharing her story about a disastrous flight with the Petty Revenge online group. She revealed how an incredibly rude passenger started dumping her things on her. However, karma soon caught up to the entitled woman. Bored Panda reached out to the author of the viral post, u/CupcakeParlor, and she was kind enough to share her thoughts on rude behavior on planes. Scroll down for the full story and our interview with the author.
Respecting each other’s boundaries is incredibly important, especially in close quarters like on an airplane. Unfortunately, not everyone is kind
Image credits: AZ-BLT (not the actual photo)
A woman went viral after revealing how an entitled seatmate treated her incredibly rudely, only for things to take a satisfying turn in the end
Image credits: GabiStock (not the actual photo)
Image credits: CupcakeParlor
“It was almost as if I was invisible in that she had no regard for my space or physical presence”
We asked the author about the entitled woman who sat next to them. “Initially, when she started throwing her things around, I was shocked because I’m a frequent flyer and have been to several airports in various countries and had never encountered such rude behavior by a passenger,” u/CupcakeParlor opened up to Bored Panda.
“It was almost as if I was invisible in that she had no regard for my space or physical presence. I assumed she was simply entitled, considering she didn’t even bother to stow her carry-on properly and disregarded the flight attendants when they first asked her to do so. But then I wondered if she was under the influence of a substance of some sort. But that wouldn’t have been an excuse, considering many people on a substance aren’t necessarily rude, obstinate, or entitled,” she said.
We were curious whether the author thought the entitled passenger changed her behavior after losing her purse. “Unfortunately, I don’t think her behavior would change because she had a demeanor that rules didn’t apply to her and that she could absorb spaces that weren’t hers. Since she looked to be in her early 20s, I’d say she knows right from wrong and common decency but chooses otherwise despite its impact on others.”
Bored Panda also asked u/CupcakeParlor about handling rude behavior while traveling. “Initial signs of aggression while boarding are indicators that someone may have some challenging behaviors during the plane ride,” she said.
“I don’t think flight attendants should have to do emotional check-ins with people, but maybe having cups of water for passengers as they’re boarding, ensuring the aircraft is cool in temperature, and having flight attendants in spots near visibly agitated passengers during boarding to enforce proper procedures, seating arrangements, and passenger safety and rights would be helpful,” u/CupcakeParlor said, considering a few ways to reduce the number of incidents.
“I think having a QR code to scan to disclose issues to get real-time support with neighboring passengers would be really effective. As a small woman, sometimes it feels intimidating to ask someone not to encroach upon your space. They know they’re doing something wrong, but they take advantage because they think their comfort is more important than your rights as a passenger,” she said.
“If I’m sitting next to someone who is significantly taller or wider than me, they almost immediately take over both armrests, spread their legs into my area, or even have part of their body spilling over to my seat. Yes, I’m small, but I paid for this space. Respect it.”
Most plane passengers are decent people, but a small number are so unruly that it has a major impact on everyone
Look, it’s likely that most of you reading this have probably experienced at least one incident with someone behaving unacceptably or bizarrely, whether that’s on a plane, train, bus, or other form of transport.
With so many people in close proximity to one another, there’s bound to be friction from time to time. And, let’s not be naive—not everyone who likes to travel or can pay for a flight is necessarily a kindhearted person. Many folks are perfectly decent. A small handful are the opposite.
CNN reports that based on the data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), unruly airplane passenger incidents were on the rise before the pandemic and grew during that period as well. Though incidents in the United States have fallen since then, they are still higher than those before the pandemic.
According to the IATA, there are four levels of unruly behavior. Level 1, classified as ‘minor’ involved argumentative behavior and non-compliance with safety regulations. Level 2, ‘moderate,’ includes aggressive behavior.
Level 3, ‘serious,’ concerns dangerous behavior. Meanwhile, level 4 is a ‘flight deck breach,’ and a ‘credible threat’ to people’s lives.
As per the IATA, most disruptive passenger incidents involved non-compliance, verbal aggression, and intoxication. Though relatively minor, they are still potentially dangerous and affect flight safety. Though only a “tiny minority” of passengers behave poorly, they “have a disproportionate impact.”
Safety aside, unruly passengers also affect the mental health of the flight crew as well as their fellow passengers. They increase the probability of delays, cancellations, and flight diversions.
There are lots of behaviors that many passengers find extremely irritating
Head of safety promotion at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, John Franklin, told CNN that the rise in unruly passenger behavior correlates with a shift in societal behavior that has occurred recently.
“It has become clear that the increase in unruly passenger behavior matches what police see in general society since the Covid pandemic,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Aleksandra Kapela, an aviation psychologist, suggests that people’s “comfort levels in close spaces, such as airplanes,” may have been impacted by “prolonged online work and limited social interactions.” Furthermore, some passengers may now perceive travel as “both a right and a privilege” and have “heightened expectations.”
A recent poll from YouGov found that some of the most unacceptable airplane behaviors for Americans include fellow passengers letting their kids play in the aisle, getting drunk, and leaving their seats during turbulence.
Some after behaviors that frustrate travelers are watching movies without headphones (ugh!), leaving trash in the seat’s back pocket (yuck!), and hogging both armrests (rude!).
Plane passengers are also not fans of strong-smelling foods, folks who ignore the safety demonstrations, people who exit the plane before those in the row in front of them, and anyone who doesn’t set their devices to airplane mode.
You also won’t have many people happy with you if you suddenly start stretching or exercising in the aisle, remove your shoes, or climb over your seatmates to use the bathroom.
What do you think, dear Pandas? Should the author have informed their rude seatmate about the purse she left behind, or was this petty revenge justified? Who is the rudest plane passenger that you’ve ever had the ‘pleasure’ of dealing with? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Some internet users had similar travel stories to share
Many readers were shocked by the seatmate’s toxic behavior. Here are a few of their reactions
