Unlikeable Airline Passengers We Hope Never To See On Our Next Flight

By: Lauren Wurth | Published: Sep 19, 2023

Airline travel can be exciting, chic, and glamorous, but it’s never easy. From the airport dash and long check-in lines to the fleecing everyone still has to get at security, the whole jet-setting experience can be harrowing. Jet-setters need the flight itself to be as comfortable and relaxing as possible—to de-stress and catch up on that lost early morning snooze. 

But for some travelers, getting onto the plane and settling in is where the real trouble starts. After a forced hiatus, many of us may be looking to catch the travel bug—but from grotesque grooming to nauseating napping, some of you might want to consider taking a boat instead. If you do get the urge to hop on a plane any time soon, watch out for these putrid passengers.

The Snatcher

It’s always a wise idea to bring along snacks on an airplane when you have kids. Bringing hard candy can help the little ones overcome the blocked or painful ear sensation when the plane goes up or down. Their favorite comfort food can help them relax if they start to feel anxious.

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Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

In some cases they might help themselves to whatever’s on offer on the tray behind them. Okay, most kids are more well-behaved than this, but if they think they can get away with it, they’ll try it—so watch out!

Clip-As-U-Go

If even the thought of nail removal gives you the heebie-jeebies as it does for us, asking a flight attendant for one of those little brown barf bags as they pass by might not be a bad idea if you happen to land a seat next to this lady. 

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Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

For some, fake eyelashes and fake nails can be unsettling, especially when they’re being applied or taken off. Look, we get it—it’s a long flight, and you need to find something to do to pass the time. But can’t you think of something else? Well, at least she isn’t getting her feet involved.

Going Toe-To-Toe

After a few hours in the air, it’s important to get comfortable and make yourself at home. One way to do this is to remove your footwear and give your toes a stretch. However, unless you have some deodorizer handy, you might want to be careful where you put your feet. 

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Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

Now imagine seeing—and smelling—this. That touch-screen is now doubtlessly smeared with crusty foot stains or good old-fashioned foot crumbs. No thanks. Thank goodness planes still get completely wiped down after each trip.

Sock Off

What better way to relax than peel off your socks and put your feet up? Unfortunately, this man doesn’t have a way to replace his old socks—or put his feet up, for that matter. Instead, he’s attempting to dry his rotten old pair on the window.

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Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

Bad sock smells can be hard to deal with, despite airplanes having built-in HEPA filters that clean and recycle the air. Unfortunately, this man is subjecting a whole row of other passengers to his odious odors. They aren’t getting blow-dried up here, you know!

Sky-High Lashes

While most people on planes fly for pleasure or for business, some may be heading to a destination wedding. There isn’t always time to get makeup done once you get there, but looking pristine for the photos is still important. Picture seeing this after waking up from a short nap. 

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

Then imagine what happens moments after the captain asks the crew to brace for turbulence and the seat belt sign lights up. At best, you’re looking at a few ripped eyelashes. At worst, you’re looking through only one eye for the rest of your life.

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The Long Sleeper

Depending on the airline (and your seating class), it’s not easy to stretch out on a flight. A bad cramp can impair your ability to get a good night’s rest. Here’s an extreme example of a passenger using the space around them in a, let’s say, innovative way.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

We’re not sure what the flight attendants would have to say about this, but it doesn’t look like this guy is hurting anyone—unless, of course, he’s taking over your precious carry-on baggage or leg room space. Then this could be a problem.

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Touchdown Tats

When you see someone doing something this woefully stupid—you have to assume that you’re looking at the results of a high-stakes bet gone wrong. It’s the only possible explanation. Other than through a major earthquake, we can’t think of a worse time to get inked.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

It’s not clear how these two managed to sneak it through security, but this mile-high mistake was made possible thanks to a “stick and poke” kit. Tattoos inked with this method last just as long as one done with a traditional method—so those erratic scribbles are for life.

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Bathroom Breakage

It’s good to get comfortable and make yourself at home on an aircraft, especially over a long journey. However, some passengers—seemingly those with gross bathroom habits—look to have taken this literally. Given that there’s an empty bottle and wrapper, they probably ate here, too.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

If this is what they were able to do in under ten hours, we don’t want to know what their bathroom looks like—or any other room of their home, for that matter. It looks like a wild animal got trapped in there. We can’t imagine what they would do to their hotel room.

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Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

If you had the misfortune of having to travel during the pandemic, you might remember that there was an international mask mandate on all commercial flights. Facemasks aren’t the most comfortable things to sleep in, but this guy seems to have made it work for him.

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

As you can see from the other passengers behind him, he hasn’t quite figured out how they work or which parts of the face it’s supposed to cover. Perhaps he just felt more comfortable with closing his eyes and covering his ears than protecting himself and others from disease.

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Takeoff Takeout

Airline food is infamously bland, and some passengers will turn their noses up at the sight of clumpy pasta or boiled gray chicken. There’s always the option of bringing your own food, but some people have to go above and beyond. 

Photo courtesy of Instagram/@passengershaming

Why settle for a caesar salad wrap or cheez-its when you can go all-in with a lobster tray? We can’t imagine it was easy getting a whole tray of them on board, never mind through security. It looks like a fabulously fancy dinner, but we don’t want to imagine the smell.

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