Bad manners at 35,000 feet irritate Australian travellers more than practical travel problems with this particular inflight etiquette issue topping the list of airplane annoyances for Aussie flyers.
Having their seat kicked from behind is the number one inflight etiquette issue for Australian travellers, ahead of headphone-free flyers and short-haul recliners.
New iSelect research shows seat-kicking is the airborne behaviour Aussies least tolerate with 42 per cent naming it their top inflight etiquette issue.
Onboard behaviour outranked practical travel headaches such as flight delays and lost luggage with fellow passengers emerging as the biggest source of frustration for Aussies heading overseas.
What annoys Aussie flyers most
Behind seat-kicking, 35 per cent of respondents named passengers who make phone calls or play videos and music without headphones as their most hated inflight etiquette issue, while 34 per cent flagged travellers who rest their feet on the window or armrest beside them.
Removing shoes and socks mid-flight bothered 26 per cent and 25 per cent objected to parents letting children watch videos without headphones.
Rounding out the top 10: passengers who stand the second the plane lands (annoying 24 per cent – and also an on-the-spot fine with this airline), speakerphone users at the gate or during boarding (22 per cent), travellers who stop suddenly in busy walkways (16 per cent), people who block the travelator (15 per cent) and pets in the cabin (15 per cent).
Manners over mishaps
iSelect Public Relations Manager Sophie Ryan said the results show it is often fellow passengers, rather than logistics, that shape the travel experience.
“Aussies love to travel, but it seems what happens once we’re in the air can make or break the experience,” she said.
“It’s a timely reminder that a bit of basic etiquette goes a long way when we’re all sharing a confined space for hours at a time.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Light research like this is a conversation starter, but the useful thread for advisors is buried in the fine print: the reminders on stopover cover, pre-existing conditions and destination entry rules are exactly the gaps that turn a client’s dream trip into an uncovered claim. With demand for Europe over the Northern summer, it is a good idea to double-check policies match the itinerary.
