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Air-etiquette takes a nose dive
Let’s be honest; long haul journey’s can be a nightmare. Screaming
children kicking the back of your chair, severe tiredness and cramped
seating conditions can drive even the calmest person insane. And if
that’s not bad enough it looks as if things are set to get even worse.
If fighting over the arm-rest, smelly fellow travellers and screaming children have got your blood boiling you are not alone as 73 per cent of British travellers believe that their fellow passengers have become ruder in recent years, according to a survey by travel search engine Kayak.co.uk.
This growing frustration with the overall state of the airline industry and an apparent decline in politeness in UK culture are thought to be the main culprits behind the dramatic rise in UK air rage, according to the study.
For many of us, taking a flight from a busy airport is stressful enough in itself. Getting to the airport on time, finding the right check-in desk and elbowing a path to the departure gate can be frustrating enough, but that’s not all that winds people up as they navigate the airport.
It now appears the state of the airline industry adds fuel to the fire, with almost half of respondents blaming long queues, disruptive security measures and cancelled or delayed flights as the primary causes of increased rudeness amongst fellow airline passengers.
Notably, 10 per cent of passengers feel that the emergence of low-cost airlines with ‘free for all’ seating policies have created a more ‘me first’ culture. While a further eight per cent of travellers believe the problem rests with the public itself, as holidaymakers are simply more stressed nowadays.
When it comes to straining passengers’ nerves, the biggest gripes
on long-haul flights are screaming babies, sitting between two
overweight passengers or being placed next to someone with bad body
odour,
according to the survey.
However it isn’t just other passengers that annoy us, 13 per cent of us find that being treated poorly by cabin crew or spoken to impatiently by a stroppy flight attendant can also be too much to take.
Although passengers have differing opinions about acceptable airline etiquette, there are clearly some things most people do agree on. Over three quarters of us agree that fellow travellers should not spend more than five minutes in the toilet and another three quarters think it’s appropriate to tell a child to stop kicking chairs from behind.
As for the ‘mile high club’, Brits appear to be losing that reserved streak, with almost half of respondents saying it’s acceptable to ‘get it on’ whilst onboard a flight. Clearly word is getting out about the thrills to be had at 30,000 feet.
On the flip side of the coin, the survey also examined what passengers can do to put a smile on the face of their fellow travellers. If you want to get on the good side of a fellow traveller, 36 per cent will appreciate it if you offer to swap seats while 27 per cent will be impressed if you help them with their luggage.
And if you thought you were the only one who enjoys checking out your fellow passengers think again! Almost one fifth of us admit to sneaking a cheeky peek at other travellers. Saucy lot!
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