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Survey: Parents Are Rudest Air Travelers

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: November 29, 2008

TAMPA - Ever sit in an airliner in front of a family with a parent who tells the youngsters to stop kicking the seat because "that mean woman in front of you wants you to stop?"

That's one of the examples of in-flight rudeness respondents related in a recent Trip Advisor.com survey of 11,000 U.S. passengers.

Parents oblivious to their children's behavior topped the list of the most annoying airline travelers, followed by people who recline their seat during meal service and nonstop talkers.

Another problem: offensive body odor. More than half the respondents said travelers who smell bad are the rudest fliers.

The survey reported that 83 percent of respondents believe air travelers have become more rude over the past 10 years. It also found that 24 percent believe travelers are more rude during the holidays.

So what should travelers do to solve problems? Respondents suggested following the golden rule - doing unto others as you'd have them do unto you - and maintaining a positive attitude.

The following are some egregious examples related by survey respondents:

•A man clipping his toenails while sprawling on the floor at the gate.

•A party of nine pre-boarding and sitting in all the first-class seats because they had never flown before and thought it was "first come, first served." They created a scene when the flight attendant told them they could not sit in first-class. This held up the flight 49 minutes.

•A man picking scabs off his bald head.

•A man loudly passing gas on the plane.

•A man yelling at a mom traveling by herself with a screaming baby. He told her to shut the child up, when it was obvious she was trying to. The baby was less than a year old.

•A person packed Thanksgiving leftovers into containers that leaked all over the overhead compartments and down onto passengers below on an extremely crowded flight.

•A guy with a wad of chew, spitting into a cup throughout the flight.

•A movie star changing his baby's poopy diapers while sprawled across two seats in business class and then handing the dirty diaper to the flight attendant during meal service.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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