It’s so close to the weekend, but not close enough. I feel a little “rant-y”, so I thought I’d talk about travel pet peeves. I know I have more than three, but these are the ones that are bugging me today.
1) People who hold up the security line. And I don’t mean old people or people with kids or other legitimate reasons for being slow. I mean the people like Mr. Bean in “Love Actually”. And people who stand at the end of the X-ray line, putting their change, keys, wallet, laptop, glasses, phone, book, liquids bag, shoes, and other detritus into their bag. Pick up your bins and move to the benches!
2) People who have seats at the back of the plane but put their suitcase in a bin at the front of the plane. Why?? WHY?? Please just at least check near your seat before taking someone else’s spot!
3) Rude people. I know my rant today makes me seem impatient, but honestly I am a very patient person. However, people who are needlessly rude just baffle me. Pushing to the front of the plane, cutting in line, yelling at people for things that are not their fault…. Please try to be kind to your fellow passengers!
Readers, got any travel pet peeves bothering you today?
Oh! And if you have a minute, check out this clip that our very own Gary Leff did for the Colbert Report the other night. Hilarious!!!
SOund like somebody needs a drink, and not a lemonade kind! 🙂
Going through security at Heathrow last month and a family with 6 kids under the age of 10 in front of me. The mom was doing her best and the kids were well behaved under the circumstances but the dad ignored all of them. I wanted to say, Hey buddy get the snip and take care of the kids you already have.
The most infuriating thing is that the same people usually fall into all 3 categories!!!
Just the usual, in no particular order.
Arm rest hogs, especially when you’re in the middle seat between two hogs.
Those who sit with a “wide-stance” touching my knees.
Group 6 crowding the boarding area the moment the GA pics up the mic.
Friends who want to know ALL about miles/points travel, but then never follow through.
Trash from previous passenger in the seat pocket.
Check in at an Italian airport.
Thanks RW, It feels cathartic to write this stuff out sometimes.
I’ve seen such apalling stupidity in security lines. People who light up a metal detector and then dig through their pockets and find a PHONE. Oh yeah, go through again, oh yeah my BELT. OK one more time, whoops forgot some CHANGE. I want to smack them.
One of my pet peeves is flyers who are in airline lounges and treat the complimentary food/drinks as if it’s their last meal. You don’t need to pick them out and leave nothing for others.
I want to smack the people who use my headrest as their armrest or to pull themselves out of or into of their seat (usually smacking me in the head with their backpack simultaneously).
Damn. Now I wish I was going somewhere this weekend.
“Friends who want to know ALL about miles/points travel, but then never follow through.”
Heh. Never thought about that one, but it’s true
“Check in at an Italian airport.”
As an Italian living abroad since 2006, I could not agree more…
People smelling like they have bathed in garlic or haven’t showered in days
The sound of “Chicken or pasta”
+1 on all 3 of yours, RW and also on the backpack people. It seems like the minute they slap that thing onto their back, they completely forget about their new hump and they sling it around as though it didn’t take up any space at all. Especially when I am in an aisle seat and they are putting a bag up in the opposite overhead. Whack! right into my face. AND THEY DON’T OFTEN APOLOGIZE!
Yup, time for a drink!
Oh, yes, the people from the back who put their bags in the front. And the people (mostly the same!) who run up the aisle as soon as the plane stops.
I’d say just rude people in general (i.e. pushing and shoving to get to the front of the line, walking in an elevator or train before people who wants to get out have a chance to step out…)
Crew members putting their carry on luggage in the first class or bulkhead overhead bin.
how about like a 40 year old male banging the tray table and kicking the back of my seat like a 4 year old just because I reclined my seat? repeatedly.
i look back thinking he may need help with something but instead he starts yelling at me saying he can’t do work because i’m in his space…
seriously rude passengers these days…
As a very frequent traveller (100+) flights a year, #1 is my biggest pet peeve. I kindly asked a guy at Schipol last week to take his stuff and repack and get redressed at the end, as it was common courtesy, he said to me and I quote “shut the f up you stupid f’n b”. Nice.
People who stuff their carry on bags so that they don’t fit in the sizer. Then they take up two spaces in the overhead bin. Worse – these people always claim that they are traveling light!
1. Women who drape their long hair over the seat back so it dangles above my tray table.
2. People who aren’t prepared when they get to security.
3. Passengers who take your seat and the “suggest” you take theirs.
4. Passengers who have a “carry on”, “personal item”, and a very large shopping bag.
5. Parents who think that letting their kids run up and down the aisles is a great way to keep them entertained.
1) Passengers in group 6 who mill around the gate as group 1 is boarding.
2) Passengers in group 1 who mill around the gate as group 1 is boarding, and they get huffy when you mistake them for a group sixer as you try to board in front of them.