what is the most annoying thing on a flight

[scottish mum]

I get annoyed when people are walking up and down the aisle when they know the food is getting served, they then try and squeeze in beside you to let the trolley passed. why can't they just wait where there is space to let it passed

 

[kevin harrison]

Makes me laugh, people complaining about kids on the way to Orlando.

Travel City Direct had cabins that were exclusively for adults, and we know what happened to them..

 

[Becx N Gav]

Adults who proceed to drink throughout the whole flight and let their kids do exactly as they please. We had a couple of families like this a few of years ago. They were in and out the galley, up and down the stairs and literally running down the aisle when possible, shouting at one another from one end of the place to the other. In the end the stewardess had to ask them to keep their kids in check. They didn't like it but it toned down a bit.

At least this time we will be in the back row in the bubble so hopefully it will be quieter!!

Was this in PE?

I never feel like drinking whilst travelling - maybe the glass of champagne but that's it, I don't want to feel dodgy for 8-9 hours.

 

[Neoshoegal]

I'll bet any money you haven't got children. Sometimes they do scream for no reason. Especially a two year old.

There is no excuse for parents not parenting though, when the kids are running around.

You are lucky you are not on VS015 in the 13th September, we keep our children well behaved and under control, but my son is Autistic and will certainly scream and get upset at some point... How do you know that this 2 year old you have spoken about didn't have an invisible disability like Autism? Could explain the mother being upset with you. Seeing this from both sides, it's very easy to judge..

Because mum was actually encouraging to run around and make noise, she thought he looked cute and adorable. not at one moment in time did she try to make him any quieter or have any consideration for her fellow passengers. I'm guessing he didn't have autism as she was chatting to another mum with a child of the same age and talking about how they are at that age. I spent the whole flight with earplugs in and still couldn't sleep a wink because her precious angel's lungs were more powerful then my earplugs.
We were just trying to mind our own business so tried very much to ignore the child. Her annoyance with us seemed to come for the fact that we weren't saying how cute her boy was, but rather that we ignored him when he was trying to climb onto DH.
As I said, I imagine it must be difficult flying with children, but even when you have an autistic child, I would hope that you at least try at certain points to restrain their enthusiam out of consideration of other passengers. Leaving a kid run around for 9 hours, no matter what, is just not polite.
Plus, the screaming right into my ear. No matter what ailment, it would have been nice to have received an apology for the inevitable headache that followed. If accompanied by an explanation (ie "I'm sorry, my child is autistic"), then at least I can have some understanding and give a reply of "I understand, no worries". Now it was as if I was the bad guy because her child gave me a headache from screaming right into my ear (if she would have been polite enough to give people some space in a queu, even just a few more inches rather than nearly leaning onto me, her screaming boy probably wouldn't even have been an issue).

And as I said in my first post: " I appreciate that flying with small children can not always be easy, but to let them run ammock and visibly annoy other people (who are also trying to enjoy their holidays) is not on". So I do understand that kids will innevitably scream sometimes, I'm ok with that, I know that this is unavoidable (unless there would be adult only sections of planes or adult only fligths, or something like the quiet coach on a train). It's the ones that don't care about upsetting other passengers, that wind me up.

 

[bazzanoid]

Sounds like Kids are a real problem on flights to Orlando, perhaps I could make a fortune by setting up an adults only airline.

Have to be careful how you'd market it (think adults only and the average mindset...), but there would be some serious advantages - make it 16 and over (since 16 year olds generally behave themselves) and you can show 15 rated movies, late-night sitcoms instead of the usual kid's cartoons.... the possibilities are endless!

 

[Head_in_the_clouds]

My number one personal bugbear is the terrible B/O mixed with halitosis I can always smell wafting through the cabin on the flight back to the UK . The cabin just gets smellier and smellier as the flight goes on. I don't understand how people can't smell themselves - I would be so embarassed, it doesn't take five minutes to freshen up with some baby/cologne wipes, use some deodorant and brush your teeth!

 

[Cyrano]

when you go to use the toilet and someone has 'missed' (bothers me normally as well as flightshehehehe)

GROSS

I know what you mean. Never understood why a woman can miss a big hole like that

 

[disney_princess_85]

Makes me laugh, people complaining about kids on the way to Orlando.

Travel City Direct had cabins that were exclusively for adults, and we know what happened to them..

It's badly behaved children that people have a problem with, not children in general. I agree with many posts about children running amock etc, however I also have a problem with adults who can't behave themselves either! Let's be honest, there are plenty of those.

P.S. Well said Neoshoegal!

 

[scoobee]

As a female with long hair, I always want to scream when the people sat behind me pull on the back of my chair, thus grabbing a handful of my hair, when they want to get up and make their way to the loo etc. It hurts!!!:

 

[crazysitch]

I also hate child and adult kicking and pulling the back of my family seats continougly throughout the whole flight i noting more annoing !

 

[Kath2003]

Makes me laugh, people complaining about kids on the way to Orlando.

I will complain about badly behaved children anywhere in public. On an airline it's obviously worse as you can't escape it. Further it's just insulting to the rest of the cabin when mum and dad are doing absolutely nothing about the havoc their little sweetheart is creating (e.g. running up and down aisles, climbing on seats etc.).

I will also complain about crying children and babies, but I know that there are reasons for this. It doesn't mean that it's not irritating and indeed distressing. Scientific studies has shown that small children crying is one of the most distressing sounds a person can be subjected to (worse than a pneumatic drill!) and being cooped up with that for ten hours is painful for everyone, not just baby and its family.

It appears, though, that it's not just me....

 

[dtm316]

I will also complain about crying children and babies, but I know that there are reasons for this. It doesn't mean that it's not irritating and indeed distressing. Scientific studies has shown that small children crying is one of the most distressing sounds a person can be subjected to (worse than a pneumatic drill!) and being cooped up with that for ten hours is painful for everyone, not just baby and its family.

I have to say that although the sound of a crying baby can at times be a distressing sound on an aeroplane. I would absolutely soil myself if I heard a pneumatic drill while flying over the atlantic

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

Don't have a problem with the kids...it's the parents.

We came back on a flight to Glasgow a couple of years ago. This little brat (sorry he was) was kicking a man's seat in front of him. The man was travelling alone with his young son. He kept kicking the seat and chucking Maltesers all over the place. This wasn't just a child who was bored - this was clearly a problem child.

The mum just said for about 7 hours 'i'll no tell you again', yes for the whole flight, over and over and over...

By the end I felt like kicking out the exit door and parachuting out. On coming in to land we were greeted with the great 'we can see oor flat from here' and 'it's good to be home'

Other than that nothing really bothers me that much as I realise pretty soon i'll be touching down the the US of A!

 

[disney_princess_85]

By the end I felt like kicking out the exit door and parachuting out.

On coming in to land we were greeted with the great 'we can see oor flat from here' and 'it's good to be home'

Cringe. I can't stand people like that.

 

[scojos]

I have to say that although the sound of a crying baby can at times be a distressing sound on an aeroplane. I would absolutely soil myself if I heard a pneumatic drill while flying over the atlantic

im wth you on that one

i would like to add, the majority of parents with children with asd are extremely concerned - not about the affect their child has on others (i wouldnt get a 4x), but more the affect the others have on my child. i dont care if he is loud getting on the plane, because i know he ll be calmer when on the plane for 9 hours if i let him express himself whilst getting on. the majority of kids with SN would also get on first or last, to avoid the crush. we can therefore presume that the kids getting on in the crush are "normal".

as a teacher i have perfected both my glare and tone of voice, that kids get is non negotiable, a polite "could you please go back to your seats or play quietly?" has always worked for me, try it
as for parents who think it acceptable to let their darmigs run all over the plane, do you not think thats cause they have no control at home???
speaking to the aircrew and ask them if you can be moved- they are generally very understanding...
im finding this very interesting thread.
P>S whilst i do explain my sons behaviour with a "sorry, he has autism", many people dont even know what autism is, which is why the dis is soo good we all learn together. i would however add the no parents should feel oblidged to explain a SN kids behaviour. My ds had a major break down in calais, as we are bi lingual, we speak in the language to him that people around us will not understand, so we talked to him in english, usual stuff, finish this then we ll do what you want.... the french people around us not realisinf we understood started talking about spoilt english brats and their poor behaviour. this was 1 time i did not apologise about his behaviour, i just turned round and said (in french) that my childs behaviour was my business not theres, and if they had nothing nice to say, maybe they shouldnt say anything at all.... moral, we all need to be understanding at times, however, not judgemental...
tx

 

[Cosmo.Kramer]

Cringe. I can't stand people like that.

I personally don't MIND the clapping on landing in America but that's cause you're on your holiday.

It was the same family that stood all the way along the baggage claim that wouldn't let anyone else in to get the bags.

 

[disney_princess_85]

I personally don't MIND the clapping on landing in America but that's cause you're on your holiday.

It was the same family that stood all the way along the baggage claim that wouldn't let anyone else in to get the bags.

Yeah, the clapping thing happened on my flight last year. What's NOT ok is expressing any pleasure at arriving back in the UK!

Some people are very selfish aren't they? We just have to make sure that they don't put a dampener on our holidays I guess.

 

[Netty]

well what a thread-so funny!!!
i think we should all book to be on the same flight, then there will be no problems!!
can anyone tell me.. what is that little pirate thingy on the virgin flight map??

we have had a couple of episodes of air rage on flights to orlando- not us personally though! a passenger trying to start a fight for no reasons at all.. all in front of the kids on the flight

 

[bronny]

Badly behaved kids who are not 'looked after' by parents! I have a son with ADHD and he was better behaved than a lot of the kids we saw on the plane. Now he's no angel but I was so proud of him after flying 8 hours and seeing kids running riot up and down the aisles. Think the PSP helped though - best invention EVER!

 

[Kath2003]

I forgot the mother who was a real gem on a flight to Miami. Three kids, looked about 4, 6 and 8 sat on the 3 seats next to the window. Mother sat across the aisle, put her headphones in and didn't look twice at the kids for another 9 hours.

The four year old threw up on take-off AND landing (the 6 y/o provided her with a sickbag both times!).

The six year old knocked over three drinks and most of her meal.

The eight year old kicked the back of my chair. I asked him to stop. I asked his mother to ask him to stop. The airhostess asked him to stop. The airhostess asked his mother to ask him to stop. Kiddo kicked me for 9 hours.

The eight year old accompanied the other two to the bathroom because they were scared of the flush (what child isn't?!).

If they hadn't gotten on together, I would have assumed the children were unaccompanied.