Passengers Share Horror Stories of People Taking Over Their Seat on Planes

The internet is full of nightmare stories of rude, entitled, seat-stealing passengers and general bad manners when it comes to air travel. Now one Reddit post shared on July 31 complaining about people who take up more than their share of room has sparked a huge discussion, with many sharing their own horror stories. Newsweek also spoke to experts who advised what to do—and what to avoid—to make flying as stress-free as possible. More From Newsweek Vault: Compare the Best Rewards Credit Cards for Travel The post that kicked it all off, from user u/carrotpeelsoup, racked up 13,000 upvotes as they complained: "I'm so done with people being halfway in my seat on airplanes. "I pay for a seat. I should be able to sit in my whole seat. The seats are small enough already. It's so uncomfortable to have to touch a random stranger for the entire duration of a plane ride just because airlines design seats that are large enough for 10-year-old children." And they told Newsweek: "It's ok if it's a one time thing but I went on vacation and both the way there and back was super uncomfortable because the people next to me were in my seat. "On one of the flights I couldn't even put the armrest down because the person was literally sitting in my seat." More From Newsweek Vault: How to Travel on a Budget They weren't alone, as users flocked to the comments to share their own stories, u/gree_ribbon admitting: "Sometimes when men have their arms stretched out over my seat on the bus, I use their arm as an armrest. they don't like that." And as u/whoevenisanyone put it: "Don't people know the rule? Window seat gets the window room, middle person gets the arm rest and aisle person gets the ability to move freely." Travel expert and founder of Love and London, Jessica Dante, told Newsweek there are "key flight etiquette tips" to stop a flight from turning into a frustrating scenario. "Once on board, respect people's personal space by reclining your seat slowly, and avoid excessive noise or disturbing activities like watching a film on your phone with no earphones." She also pointed out people should limit "strong scents," including bad personal hygiene, and "avoid having loud conversations," particularly when cabin crew are giving important information. This seems like common sense to most people, but many Redditors had stories of obnoxious passengers not thinking of those around them. One user recalled a flight where they had "two small unsupervised kids [sitting] next to me," whose mother was asleep, "kicking and screaming and invading my personal space. Couldn't sleep at all and had terrible back pain." And u/BanjosandBayous remembered being seated between two "equally large men who were too big for the seats," who both fell asleep and "turned their heads inward so I got loud, drooly, pig snoring in each ear. It was horrible." When it comes to noise, user u/cupcake179 was stuck on a flight with a group of around 30 people, who were "extremely loud for the entire flight." "Their children were loud, they were loud. Imagine a busy street of loud chatter all contained into a small space and you have no way to escape," they said, adding they could still hear them even after putting on "the best noise canceling headphones you can find." A recent YouGov poll on air travel etiquette found that 80 percent of respondents found it unacceptable for passengers to allow their children to play in the aisles. Other behaviors causing anger among Americans included plane passengers getting drunk, ignoring emergency demonstrations by cabin crew, and using both armrests. The issue of space invading came up repeatedly on the Reddit discussion, with u/BengoBuffalo recalling one man who was spreading his legs "so his thigh was touching my thigh then proceeded to bounce his leg THE ENTIRE FLIGHT." They said they "hate confrontation so I tried clearing my throat every few minutes and moving my leg away from his but nothing helped." U/Neeagg123 admitted their husband "has literally pushed men's legs out of my space. Embarrassing but also so appreciated because...why is your leg where mine should be." Etiquette expert Jo Hayes said it was vital to be aware of your allocated arm and leg room, and "not to encroach on the space of one's neighbor. This means no leg-spreading into the domain of one's neighbor, nor claiming too much arm rest.

"If one is a larger person, they may do well to consider purchasing premium economy, or business class, to ensure they have enough room to travel comfortable on not encroach on the personal space of one's neighbor." Both experts gave tips on how to be a more conscientious traveler, with Dante advising: "Maintain patience and awareness in very busy, often overcrowded terminals by avoiding blocking walkways with luggage and being considerate of fellow travelers, especially those in wheelchairs." Once the flight is in the air, passengers should also take care with bathroom etiquette, she said: being quick and leaving them clean and tidy. They should also be "mindful of the window shade position as your fellow passengers might want to rest or enjoy the view." And EtiquetteExpert.org founder Hayes reminded people not to "place undue pressure on another passenger to switch seats," to always use ear buds, never to play things out loud, never to take loud phone calls and never to make a mess while eating. Do you have any outrageous plane stories you want to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.