The Most Frustrating Actions of Travelers, According to Fellow Passengers

Traveling always comes with the potential for unpleasant behavior. A recent survey explored the actions that annoy travelers the most, particularly those related to health, hygiene, and invading personal space.

Flight deal tracking platform Going recently surveyed 2,695 travelers about their travel plans for this year, including preferences and pet peeves, for its “State of Travel 2024” report. The results suggest that to foster a more pleasant travel atmosphere, passengers should avoid using someone else's seat as leverage, playing loud music on their devices, or removing their shoes.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic being behind us, travelers still prioritize protection from transmissible illnesses. According to the survey, the top annoyance for travelers is when a passenger coughs or appears sick without wearing a mask. If you’re looking to stock up on face masks for your next journey to avoid such situations, check out our favorites for comfort, style, and effectiveness: travel masks.

Are you a window or aisle person? Going also inquired about passenger preferences and discovered that most travelers (53 percent) prefer the window seat for the view, while 46 percent appreciate the convenience of the aisle seat. Additionally, 54 percent of respondents indicated they prefer early-morning flights.

The survey indicates that the surge in post-pandemic travel continues, with 54 percent of participants planning to embark on more international trips in 2024 compared to 2023. The primary barriers to travel include time constraints (29 percent) and financial worries (25 percent). When asked if they would prefer a $5,000 annual salary bump or two extra weeks of vacation, 56 percent opted for additional time off.

When travelers finally set off on a trip, here’s what frustrates them the most:

1. Having a cough or cold and not wearing a mask (27 percent)
2. Not using headphones while listening to music (15 percent)
3. Kicking or pulling on the back of the seat (15 percent)
4. Reclining without checking or during meal service (11 percent)
5. Standing up immediately after landing (7 percent)
6. Removing shoes (6 percent)
7. Claiming the middle armrest (6 percent)
8. Crowding the boarding area before the boarding process (6 percent)
9. Wearing strong fragrances (4 percent)
10. Engaging a fellow passenger who clearly wishes to remain disengaged (3 percent)

This article was originally published in November 2018 and has been updated with the latest information.