According to the Federal Aviation Association (FAA), at any given time, there are around 7,000 aircraft flying over the U.S. skies.
Sometimes, it is the journey that makes one hell of an experience rather than the destination. Tightly packed in a metal container flying a few thousand feet above sea level, you are forced to interact with people around you―some might turn out to be good company, while unfortunately some may not.
Who knows you might form bonds with someone you meet on a plane that may last a lifetime. But this is not what this article is about, we’re here to describe those individuals who make the few hours you spend sitting next to them extremely excruciating.
So fasten your seat belts and chuckle along as we take you on a tour of every traveler’s nightmare by describing the characters that you are likely to bump into.
Mr. Feet
If you’re unfortunate, you are bound to have this person sitting next to you. These individuals get so comfortable on a plane that they absolutely fail to realize the plight others face thanks to the stink bombs their feet release. On some really unlucky days, they manage to put their malodorous feet on the armrest of your seat, just in case your nostrils weren’t filled up with the stench.
The Tinkler
You know how crammed it can get if you’re flying economy and you get an aisle seat next to a tinkler. Tinklers are those travelers who want a window seat every time they travel; unfortunately, these species seem to have a really tiny bladder and need to pee every half an hour. As a result, they shimmy and perform different acrobatics every time they are summoned by Mother Nature.
The First-time Travelers
For some souls, air travel for the first time can be scary and exciting. It is one thing to tell everyone around you how nervous or excited you are, but screaming like a baby when the plane takes off is a bit too much.
The Not-So-Light Traveler
One cabin luggage is definitely not enough. They might have a purse, a backpack, and a handbag. Once they enter and get busy stuffing and cramming their luggage in the overhead compartment; it definitely makes people around them wonder whether they have managed to pack their entire household and decided to tag it as cabin luggage.
The I’ve-Got-Everything Guy
From a fluffy neck rest, laptops loaded with movies, books, to Xanax, they’re ready to tackle any problem that may come their way. Judge them all you want, but when you need something, you’ll definitely want them around.
The Crying Baby
All a vessel crammed with people flying at some 30,000 feet above sea level needs is a crying, screaming, howling, and kicking baby. Just in case people weren’t getting enough sleep, the soothing voice of a howling baby would definitely make them snooze.
The Excessively Energetic Preteen
Flying is fun, they said. Unfortunately, the kids didn’t think so. Bored out of their wits, they climbed on every seat possible, did a few acrobatic stunts on them, dismantled a seat just to see what it is made of and managed to throw peas at other passengers at lunch time. All in all, making sure that they’re well occupied.
The Sleeper
These are blessed travelers who give in to the sweet embrace of slumber once the plane has taken off. This shouldn’t be much of a problem except for the fact that their head has landed on their co-passenger’s (your) shoulder. Limiting your movements to a bare minimum.
Miss/Mr. Big Shot
They have a million things to do in very little time. Apparently, every single second is so precious that they just can’t get off the phone until they absolutely have to. It doesn’t matter the dirty looks everyone gives them, they’re going to talk on their mobile phones right till it’s almost time to take off.
The Talker
These are an excessively over-sharing bunch of individuals. They want to share almost every life experience, funny stories, and personal details, with you not being interested is not an option. By the time you get off the plane, you’d know about the bunions on their feet, an information you’d like to forget ASAP.
These were just some of the most nightmarish co-passengers that you could ever come across while traveling by air. If you think there were some more who could be included in the list above or would like to share your experiences, feel free to mention them through the comments section below.
