Listen, I don't think it's a stretch to say that long flights are the worst. Nobody enjoys being shoulder to shoulder with a stranger in a flying vehicle for hours with only a few bathrooms, right?
That being said, I think it's important that we all do what we can to make the trek as quick and painless as possible for everyone, especially airline workers. Lucky for us, redditor u/theburiedsalmon asked, "Flight attendants and/or pilots of Reddit, what are some things passengers do that get on your nerves?" Here are 21 things airline workers said you should 100% NOT do:
1. Saying “thanks for finally showing up” when a flight is delayed:
"You may only have one flight that day, but I probably had four. Chances are I was delayed because of another flight or maintenance on some other plane. Added to that, we often only get 45 minutes to an hour between flights, which requires us to literally get off one plane and onto another. We have to grab food or maybe use a real bathroom in that time also."
— u/121guy
2. Trying to join the mile-high club:
"Don’t have sex in the bathrooms y’all. No, you aren’t being quiet and yes, we will know. This is THE grossest place you could possibly want to do the deed, as bathrooms NEVER GET DEEP-CLEANED, EVER. Not to mention the obvious — they're ridiculously tiny, to the point where once we had to make an emergency landing because a couple couldn’t get out of the bathroom they had shoved themselves into once they were done. "
3. Standing up when the seatbelt sign is on:
"On the ground, we’ll most likely be bringing the airplane to a stop, which inconveniences not just everyone else on board, but the 10 airplanes behind us, too. Plus, air traffic control starts yelling at us, and that's no fun. In the air, if that sign is on, it’s for a reason. If we fly into turbulence and you get injured because your belt wasn’t fastened, we might have to divert. That makes everyone’s day exponentially more shitty."
4. Leaving a ridiculous amount of garbage behind:
"Last week I had a grown-ass couple spit huge globs of gum onto the floor and then step on it to try to rub it in. Like, seriously? Why?"
5. Blaming check-in agents for delayed or canceled flights:
"Honestly there’s nothing we want more 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!!!!!"
6. Joking that the pilot is drunk or was out late drinking:
"Pilot here. Booze jokes suck. Make sure to announce that the flight is delayed/canceled because THIS passenger decided to make a joke about booze and now I have to get a breathalyzer."
"You may say it as a joke and think it’s funny, but we have to take those comments seriously. If you honestly smell booze, speak up. If not, it’s not funny and keep your mouth shut."
— u/121guy
7. Changing your baby’s dirty diaper on the passenger seat:
"Passenger seats are even less roomy than the lavatories, and according to my experience, most planes nowadays have changing tables. If you need to change your baby on a plane, go to the toilet. No one enjoys the smell of piss and shit, especially in a small place like an airplane. Be respectful."
8. Blaming pilots for not being able to fly in bad weather:
"Pilot here. My worst experiences with customers are 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."
— u/121guy
9. Walking around barefoot on planes:
"I cringe when I see people run around barefoot, especially near/in restrooms. I bet almost every aircraft has a restroom where someone couldn't make it in time and vomited right in front of it."
10. Stacking all the little plastic cups and bowls that come with meals:
"My mother is a flight attendant and one thing I always hear her complain about is how people try to stack all the little plastic cups. Those trays go into the cart as they came out, meaning nothing is stacked. There is no overhead for it to enter unless she unstacks it, which as you can imagine is not fun. Yes, the intention is nice, but still..."
11. Clapping when the plane lands:
"Imagine if someone clapped every time you merged off a highway. It's just our job, its not that hard to do."
12. Getting up as soon as the plane lands:
"Y'all could be sitting effortlessly until we make the bridge and disarm the door, but nah."
13. Ignoring and getting defensive about safety instructions:
"One of the most annoying things is when people ignore or fight our instructions concerning safety regulations. I do not enjoy telling you that you can't have your bag in an exit row, that you need to put your important laptop away for takeoff and landing, or that you should stay seated when the seatbelt sign is on. And no, it is not negotiable. No reason to get insulting or treat us like shit."
14. Crowding the luggage carousel to get your bags faster:
"Did you know that the closer you stand to the baggage claim carousel, the faster your bag arrives?? It’s science, look it up. Warp speed for the ones that let their kids on the carousel, too!"
15. Sleeping with your feet in the aisles during night flights:
"While I do understand the need to stretch your legs, the lights are dimmed at night and it is a trip hazard for us. I have seen colleagues break bones by tripping over feet and legs in the dark."
16. Expecting free drinks from flight attendants:
"Stop expecting free alcohol because you handed me a $3 bag of candy you bought in the airport. I’m a grown-ass man; you didn’t make my day by giving me a Hershey’s Kiss. Slip me a $20 instead — I’ll give you an open bar the rest of the flight."
17. Parents not watching their kids during the flight:
"The aircraft isn't childproof and there's a surprising amount of things kids can injure themselves on."
"I almost had to cancel a takeoff once due to a toddler crawling in the aisle because his mom said he won't sit still. He could've gotten severely injured on takeoff roll."
18. Asking to be upgraded to first class for free:
"Even though I’m just the pilot, I’ve been approached by all kinds of passengers and heard almost every story/lie in the book. None of it will work and it’s just an uncomfortable situation to be put in."
19. Showing up late for a flight and blaming the staff:
"A college athlete showed up late to their flight and was told they couldn’t board. They yelled, screamed, and cursed at all employees, because they were missing their Olympic tryouts. How late were they, you ask? Two hours after the flight left."
20. Expecting special treatment because you got it on another flight:
"We aren’t given leeway by our bosses and the Federal Aviation Administration about enforcing rules, so if you want to do something against the federal regulations or company procedures, we can’t give leeway either. The idea that 'it depends on the flight attendant' is wrong. We can be fined a personal large monetary fine for allowing passengers to break rules and can easily lose our jobs. Please just follow the rules that are set (and that we have 0% decision on) or choose to travel via a different method."
21. And finally, poking or grabbing at flight attendants to get their attention:
"DON’T poke people! Especially if I am speaking to another passenger. I can see you waving at me I’m not going to stop 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 I 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."
Now it's your turn! Airline workers of BuzzFeed, did we miss anything passengers do that drives you absolutely bananas? If so, let us know in the comments below!
H/T r/AskReddit. Note: Submission have been edited for length and/or clarity.