40 Shameless Airline Passengers That Think They Own The Skies
By Jana I
Traveling should be a pleasant experience. However, the reality is a bit different. On the one hand, people love it — going abroad, taking a vacation, and all those shenanigans. On the flip side, it can be super stressful. Not getting annoyed at the other passengers and their misbehavior seems like an impossible task. Babies screaming, seniors snoring, young adults partying…it’s an anxiety-inducing situation, to say the least. There are numerous pages online talking about these experiences. Today’s article will be talking about those shameless passengers that get on everyone’s nerves. There is a page called Passenger Shaming on Instagram that posts exactly this type of content. It will provide just enough material for all of us to enjoy and get furious over. Are you ready? Let’s begin!
All images in this article are courtesy of Passenger Shaming on Instagram.
Foot Massage
Sometimes, passengers get too touchy-feely with one another. In instances like these, we wish we never boarded the plane in the first place. This person just casually took a foot from the other passenger and started rubbing and massaging it.
We are not shaming here, yet, some passengers do deserve a shout-out like this one. Why would anyone around you want to see this? Get a room, people! Know some manners. Some passengers might be uncomfortable watching this. Leave us out of your foot fetish.
Corn All the Way!
Traveling by plane means you are paying more, but, in theory, you are well taken care of. If the flight lasts a while, they will provide you with just enough snacks and drinks to satisfy your bodily needs. Some passengers, though, don’t think that’s enough.
This lady took an ear of corn out of her carry-on and started shucking it. She is acting as if this is a casual, daily ritual that everyone practices. We wonder where she put the rest she didn’t eat. Hopefully, she didn’t leave it behind. That would be the ultimate move.
See No Evil
Sometimes, it’s difficult to fall asleep on public transportation. A lot of things may present themselves as stressful and annoying: the sounds, the smells, and the lights. People deal with them in different ways. This guy found a good use for his mask.
Instead of wearing it to cover his nose and mouth (you know, because of diseases and spreading germs around), he opted for covering his eyes. Needless to say, the other passengers weren’t too pleased with his decision. Not to mention he had a hat that could have worked as a blindfold!
Is That a Chicken?!
Do you remember the episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians when Kylie Jenner asked Kris, “Is that a chicken?!” when the animal in Kris’ arms was obviously a tiny piglet? This has become a viral moment we’ll never stop quoting.
That’s all we could ask ourselves when we saw this image. We couldn’t believe it! Someone froze some chicken wings and managed to travel with them. Better yet, they checked them in with all the luggage. Just when we thought we’d seen it all…
Crazy Cat Lady
Looking at this picture is like peeking into our future… We’re kidding! Well, sort of. Just look at this woman tending to her cat on an airplane as if it was a baby. We can see ourselves in her so clearly.
This flight must’ve been super entertaining — for both the cat and other passengers. Well, maybe not for anyone onboard with cat allergies. But even dog lovers must admit the sight of a cat watching TV on a tablet is hilarious.
Job Well Done, Parents
We need to be aware that it’s not the child’s fault that they are misbehaving; we should mostly blame the parents. Of course, there are exceptions. If a baby is crying on a flight, even the parents can be helpless to stop it.
But, if a toddler is climbing on the plastic tray, that is only the parents’ fault. They might not be able to soothe an anxious baby, but a kid using the plane as a jungle gym is something else. We can’t even imagine how the guy in front of the toddler is feeling.
Parkour?
Speaking of kids climbing where they shouldn’t, we found this boy trying out parkour at the airport. You remember parkour? It hit peak popularity in 2011-2, and there were some awesome videos online. Maybe that’s where this kid got the idea.
Where are his parents or guardians? Maybe they’re the ones taking this photo. We love to believe this was one of our sneaky Redditors that saw an opportunity and captured this once-in-a-lifetime sight. Also, we hope they rushed to help him down afterward…
Charming
Now, we need to take a break from these stress-inducing passenger situations. We’re rewarding you with a quite wholesome and cute woman who loves her nap time, plus a good snack time and happy hour combo! And, she’s polite, too!
She came prepared! Eye mask, neck cushion, and a note: please, wake me up for snacks & drinks! Thank you! It’s rare to see a passenger say please and thank you, so we’d be happy to oblige anyone who uses those “magic words.”
Headstand
Sometimes, passengers just can’t wait to get to their destination. So they drink, shout, play games, and generally party in anticipation of their arrival. Though, we think that this lady partied a little too hard. That’s the only reason we can think of for this sight.
The old lady has her legs so high in the air that they are almost touching the ceiling of the plane’s cabin. The passenger, like us, is extremely confused and curious about the whole situation. We just hope that there was no turbulence on that flight.
Gross!
There is no worse thing than psyching yourself up to enter the public toilet on an airplane, knowing that countless passengers have used it before you. And, of course, there’s the anxiety of facing any waiting passengers if it’s not pristine when you walk out.
But nothing compares to the mess left by this (these?) passenger(s). Whoever did this deserves to be flanked by passengers with their shoes off. It’s just disrespectful and vile. We feel bad for the poor staff responsible for cleaning all this up.
Going Under
We know chairs in vehicles are not the most comfortable thing out there — unless you’re flying first-class or in a private jet. Uncomfortable seats are something we all have to deal with, and though we complain, there’s not much we can do about it. Or is there…
This person couldn’t handle the cramped seats and took matters into their own hands. Look, we know they say to store your bags under the seat in front of you, but this is just ridiculous! Unless they paid for the two aisle seats, this is rude and a safety hazard.
Drying Sweaty Socks
One thing that tends to happen on airplanes a lot is sweating. Since the cabin temperature is regulated, if you’re not wearing the right clothes, you might start to stink of foul body odor. Some people take it a step further and make it everybody’s problem. Like this guy right here:
He put his socks below the air vent to dry out his sweaty socks. This is not only gross but really disrespectful towards other passengers. We have no idea what kind of person could do this. We are at a loss for words.
Privacy Settings Have Been Messed With
One thing that can bother an individual is the lack of privacy when flying economy or business class. You can feel like people are breathing down your neck the whole time. Which, technically, they are. So, this man has figured out a solution!
We’ve been pondering for a good half an hour whether or not this is allowed. We can’t come to any conclusion. It doesn’t seem like he’s bothering anyone, and no one is bothering him. And there’s no real danger. That’s what matters most, right?
The Definition Of Being Irresponsible
Quarantine and strict social distancing seem like they happened ages ago. We might not think about it often, but since late 2019, they have strongly affected everyone’s lives. And although the pandemic is not yet over, people are starting to feel more relaxed, and things are back to normal — more or less.
This extremely intelligent passenger has traveled while infected, even though it was strictly forbidden. People like these are the reason we had a pandemic in the first place! Lockdown wasn’t easy on anyone, but some of us aren’t so selfish or self-absorbed.
Hm, Weird…
Many people go to their hair-dresser or local barber before traveling. After all, we just want to look our best while on vacation. What no one talks about is when you don’t have much time or your job requires long hours, what do you do then?
This man might be one of those people. He didn’t have time for a trip to the barber beforehand, so he gave himself a haircut mid-flight. He brought his buzzer and everything! We can only hope that he was polite enough to clean up after himself. Though, we doubt that.
Frozen Shrimp Extravaganza
Those frozen chicken legs from earlier aren’t the only food-related picture on this list. Get ready for frozen seafood! More specifically, get ready for frozen shrimp and the drama that ensues. This poor guy was sitting exactly below a person’s cooler bag full of them…
Not only did it drip on the man’s pants, but it also stank really bad. We can’t even begin to imagine how uncomfortable the whole experience was. No matter how much you love seafood, the smell of thawing seafood can be “deadly.”
Stinky Shoe Dryer
Remember the guy that was drying his sweaty sock? That was bad, but get ready for something even worse than that. If you thought it couldn’t go downhill from there, think again. This is both super gross and hilarious at the same time.
This man is drying his shoe. There’s no other way to put this. He doesn’t even seem fazed, nor is he trying to be sneaky about it. He has simply decided this is a completely normal and casual thing one does when their shoes need to be aired out.
Thief!
Kids need protein, carbs, and fats to grow up healthily and strong! Playing all day long is not an easy task, you know. So, if you see a kid stealing food from you, don’t say a word. Having no job demands a lot of energy.
Think back to your own childhood. Do you remember how snacking and eating while traveling was one of the best parts of the whole experience? Those mini pretzel bags were such a novelty. This kid must have gotten too eager and was grabbing food wherever they could.
Foot Lovers Reunite
We have nothing against people loving and being drawn to a particular body part. It’s only natural to get attracted to certain things. We’re human, after all. This is a judgment-free zone, remember that! However, some things should stay private.
Save it for the bedroom! Or, heck, go to the bathroom and keep us out of it. Aren’t some things meant to be kept intimate and private? We certainly think so. Scenes like this are what awakes an ick deep inside our souls. Sigh.
Practicality 101
You can call it practical, or you can call it lazy. All we know is that it’s effective and doesn’t require half as much work. You know they say: work smarter, not harder. This kid’s got that covered and is already practicing his new lifestyle.
Someone needs to teach this kid some manners. They can use whatever they want to navigate their iPad at home, but this screen doesn’t belong to them! We’re already a bit grossed out knowing that possibly hundreds of people touch those screens in between cleaning, but this is too much.
Sure, Dude
Imagine being so self-obsessed and selfish that a whole plane has to turn around for you to take a phone call. We’re having trouble picturing it. But, apparently, that’s exactly what happened to this lady who just had to share it on Twitter.
There are simple yet strict rules everyone must follow on an airplane. It’s not that complex. Kudos to the flight attendant. She is savage — in a good way. This guy will have to chill the next time he wants to go anywhere. We hope he’s learned his lesson.
Monkey In The House!
Having animals on board is not an unusual thing. Many people need service animals, guide dogs, or emotional support animals. That is all understandable, and we should be aware of it. However, you need to make sure that the animal is behaving appropriately.
We will take a wild guess and say this monkey is not a service animal. Judging by the tiny pants and belt, we’re starting to think that this monkey is actually a passenger. But why is it meddling with lights and/or trying to call a flight attendant?
Short People Benefits
This girl must have seen the guy lying on the floor and wanted to try out her own version on her next flight. Tall people don’t have many options, but if you’re short and have a lot of creativity, it’s easy to find a different way to sleep.
This girl is short enough she can turn herself upside down and stretch her legs fully up in the air. The boy next to her is certainly super jealous. He seems like he’s trying to avoid eye contact. Maybe he’s just trying not to embarrass her and make a big deal.
Germ-free
During the Covid-19 era, the virus era, we had masks in every bag, all over the counters, in desk drawers, etc. We also took surgical gloves whenever we went to the store or rode on public transport. It was no joke.
This lady took things to a whole different level. She is a few steps ahead of us all. Instead of socks or, God forbid, shoes, she opted for gloves. No hate here, but we are a bit confused by the design. We love the leggings, though.
A Feast Fit For A Queen
Airplane food is not the best, but we can’t really complain. The food isn’t prepared on the spot, and they need to feed a ton of people every day. Yet some people demand quality and quantity no matter where they are.
What a feast! Seeing that there are two trays of lobster, we’re guessing this woman wasn’t the only one planning on chowing down. Did she even offer to share with her seatmate, who only had a box of Cheez-Its? We can’t even imagine how bad it smelled!
Litter
What we hate most about careless passengers is the junk they leave behind. It’s one thing to be obnoxious or loud, but it’s a different type of rage we feel towards those who litter. We can’t stand those entitled people who refuse to clean up after themselves.
They treated their seats like a garbage bin. All the food packaging, leftovers, crumbs, and paper towels below their feet are disgusting. Isn’t it annoying for the culprit, too? Again, those poor employees that had to deal with it! And we can’t even imagine what their apartment looks like.
Welcome To The Nail Salon
Who looks at an airplane seat and thinks, “this is the perfect time to do my nails”? Treating a plane as a personal nail salon is just weird. Then again, we already saw someone using it as a barbershop, so we shouldn’t be surprised.
We assume that this lady is so insistent on putting on her press-on gel nails because she has somewhere to go when the plane lands. Smart lady, using her time on board productively. But that could be a bit of a problem if there’s a bit of turbulence.
Feet Attack, Again!
What is it with people and their legs and feet? Honestly! Is it that hard to keep your arms and legs inside your area at all times? No one wants your toes anywhere near them, thank you, sir! This poor kid does not seem amused.
Those eyes are begging for help from any adult with the courage to kick those feet back where they belong. Poor kid must now be traumatized and fear gross feet at his side whenever he flies. We hope that the parents helped out immediately after this picture was taken.
Blind To The Haters
Sometimes, you have to work with what you have. Not all travelers board the plane fully equipped. Some are, like us, completely unprepared and oblivious at times. And that’s fine, but only if you know how to manage what’s at your disposal.
This guy does that flawlessly. He has used two paper leaflets, possibly his and his friend’s tickets, as a makeshift eye mask. This helped him sleep through the journey, we presume…and hope. His friend, however, just used his lap to block out the annoying lights.
Love Is In The Air
There are those couples you see in public and get sick of their touchy, feely relationship. They know no privacy and make everyone around them feel uncomfortable. But there are some cute couples, like this pair that stole our hearts.
Now, this is love! The man stood up the whole 6 hours of the flight so his wife could sleep. Love is in the air, are we right?! Pun fully intended here. This is so sweet, wholesome, and loving, that we won’t even complain!
Sewing On Board
It’s not uncommon to see people working while on an airplane, especially on longer flights. However, when we say “work,” we mean a laptop or grading papers. But we never thought a seamstress would be able to work on the go.
We have so many questions. How did they get it on board, past security, in the first place? And how is it even working? We know that there are sometimes outlets under the seats, but surely they can’t power a sewing machine, right? This is one absurd, yet funny shots. Our favorites!
Airline Ink
Well, boarding a long flight demands a high level of creativity, if you want to have fun and entertain yourself the whole time. Some opt for sleeping, others read a book, some watch a movie, and some, well, get a tattoo.
These guys decided to get a tattoo just as the plane was about to land. We hope it didn’t result in some accidental lines here and there, some trembly designs, and ink spillage. We would love to be brave enough to do it ourselves.
Airplane Spa, 50% Off!
People love to pamper themselves and beautify their looks: acrylic nails, dying the hair, wearing hair and lash extensions, going to skin treatments and making homemade face masks, etc. It’s all a great experience, all should try and enjoy such an experience at least once.
If you didn’t have time to go to your regular appointment, do not worry, you can always attend the airplane spa. Again, it seems like some passengers like to use their flight time to touch up their appearance. Seems really time-efficient and productive if you ask us.
Better Safe Than Sorry
We are in the group of people that love to be as prepared as possible. You know how it goes: better safe than sorry. Meaning, that it’s better to prevent all issues by coming prepared, than being stalled as the first obstacle arises.
This person printed out their boarding pass, but times 100 too big, it seems. It is probably just a practical joke, although we love to imagine that they are a hardcore boomer that did this on accident at the copy shop. That would be super hilarious.
DIY Hammock
One of the most important assets and character values one could have is creativity. If you’re clever, you can find solutions in a lot of tough situations. You can have a more entertaining day, birthday party, or flight, it seems.
This woman has created her own personal leg hammock. It’s like an armrest, but for your legs. Isn’t it groundbreaking? We like it a lot. She doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone with her inventions, which we appreciate a lot.
Back At It Again, With The Socks
If you weren’t tired of people drying their footwear onboard, we have another one for you. This one is a real treat. It took us a while until we realized what we were looking at! At first, we thought it was a pair of feet pressed onto the airplane window.
The Passenger Shaming page never disappoints. But, do tell us: doesn’t it look like a pair of feet just dangling from the top of the airplane? It’s madness. We aren’t certain as to why the man thought this will dry his socks out. You can’t open airplane windows.
Parents Of The Year
We already touched upon this subject. Aside from crying babies, parents are at fault for their children’s behavior when it comes to traveling. If the parents are present, and the child is still misbehaving and up to no good, talk to their mother and/or father.
This is a serious safety hazard, for the kid and the other passengers. How are the stewards supposed to go up and down those narrow aisles? And what about an emergency? The kid might not be crying while asleep, but any rude awakening is sure to trigger a temper tantrum.
Protection Level 9000
What a time is behind us — the worldwide pandemic, pure chaos, and craziness. People went to different lengths to stay protected, or on the contrary, to endanger others for their own gain, like the lady whose texts we saw above.
This girl takes the crown! She has the best mask and protection one could imagine. Not only does she wear a nose and mouth mask, but she also has a tent-like contraption all around her upper body. This is an invention we would love to have!
Is That a Death Wish?!
Protecting yourself from possible germs, bacteria and viruses is one thing, having a death wish is quite another. We present to you, an unknown passenger that decided to wrap themselves into plastic in order to… stave off any potential pathogens?
We don’t know what their motive behind this is, but what we know is this can’t be comfortable — or healthy, for that matter. This passenger is probably sweating profusely, and there is a viable threat that they will suffocate under all that humidity and plastic.
Back Door Entrance
Whenever we traveled by plane, we would look out the window and daydream about flying among the clouds with our own wings. Of course, that’s impossible. But a millennial can dream, right?! Sometimes, we even fantasized about walking on top of airplane wings.
This lady took her dreams and fantasies and made them a reality. The flight was delayed, and she decided to take a stroll — on an airplane wing, no less. We have to give her kudos for the courage. We could never do that.