Travellers’ Pet Peeves: Travel Restrictions, Seat Kickers and Flight Delays

So, this is fun.

The folks at Passport Photo Online have come up with a survey that shows the things we find most annoying about travel.

The company surveyed Americans about their pet peeves when it comes to travel and found there’s a mix of old and new concerns, including seat kickers, flight delays and constantly shifting travel requirements.

A full two-thirds of respondents (67%) said that constantly changing travel restrictions are somewhat annoying, annoying or very annoying. Interestingly enough, however, only 18% of said COVID-19 testing requirements are very annoying. Another 48% said they find the rules annoying or somewhat annoying. That’s a reasonable amount, but I expected higher numbers.

More than three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed said they find flight delays to be somewhat annoying, annoying or very annoying. Forty per cent said delays happen often or very often.

Twenty nine per cent of respondents said they find people who don’t properly masks when required are annoying. Forty four per cent said it happens often or very often.

Asked to name their pet peeves, 76% named passengers who don’t cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing.

Here’s the list of the top pet peeves, with the percentage of survey respondents who mentioned these issues.

76% – Passengers who don’t cover their mouth when sneezing or coughing (MAYBE I FORGET SOMETIMES. SORRY!)

75% – Passengers who provide unwanted bodily contact (TOUGH TO AVOID ON A CROWDED PLANE BUT I DO MY BEST)

75% – Passengers who watch videos without using headphones (WHO DOES THAT?)

74% – Inattentive parents who let their children run wild (MY WIFE AND I NEVER DID THAT. WELL, MAYBE THAT ONE TIME)

74% – Seat recliners/grabbers/kickers (I ALMOST NEVER RECLINE MY SEAT ON A PLANE)

73% – Smelly passengers (NOT ME: I SHOWER AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH)

73% – Passengers who don’t follow COVID-19 safety measures (e.g., wear a face mask) (I WOULDN’T DREAM OF FLOUTING THE RULES; I’M A CANADIAN).

67%  – Passengers who eat smelly food (WHAT? YOU DON’T LIKE LIMBURGER CHEESE?)

67% – Crying babies (I ONLY CRY ON AIRPLANES WHEN THE MOVING MAP FEATURE DOESN’T WORK)

67% – Passengers who take off their shoes or socks. (I SOMETIME TAKE OFF MY SHOES, BUT TAKING OFF SOCKS? THAT’S GROSS)

64% – Passengers who stand up as soon as the plane lands (CHILL OUT, FOLKS)

59% – Passengers who take excessive bathroom breaks (THERE SHOULD BE TIMERS)

58% – Passengers who applaud when the plane lands (I DO THIS ONLY AFTER EXCESSIVE TURBULENCE ON A FLIGHT, OR IF WE’RE LANDING IN HAWAII. OR IF I’M SITTING IN FRONT OF A SEAT-KICKER).