Frequent Flyer Problems: Seat Kickers Replace Inattentive Parents As Most Aggravating Travelers

Traveling is already a stress-inducing situation, so add in a couple of bothersome airplane passengers and this year’s trip across the country will turn into a nightmare real quick. Expedia’s 2014 Airplane Etiquette Study has found the top 18 passengers we all hope to avoid during our travel experience. No surprise here, back seat kickers topped the list of etiquette violators.

“Expedia’s Airplane Etiquette Study is a lighthearted reminder that few places require more attention to etiquette than the inside of an airplane,” John Morrey, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com said in a statement. “You’re in a tight space at 30,000 feet with hundreds of fellow travelers, so even the small things — helping your neighbor stow a bag or switching seats to put a mom next to her child — can make a huge difference.”

Expedia asked 1,000 American travelers to rank the most aggravating on-board behaviors exhibited by fellow airplane passengers. Dethroning last year’s top airplane etiquette violators, “Inattentive Parents,” “Rear Seat Kickers” were considered 2014’s most annoying passenger. Due to fellow travelers who can’t seem to break their annoying habits, including “The Boozer,” “Chatty Cathy,” and “The Armrest Hog,” 48 percent of Americans say they cannot sleep on airplanes.

Here’s the top 18 list of on-board etiquette violators:

1. Rear Seat Kicker: cited by 67% of study respondents

2. Inattentive Parents: 64%

3. The Aromatic Passenger: 56%

4. The Audio Insensitive (talking or music): 51%

5. The Boozer: 50%

6. Chatty Cathy: 43%

7. Carry-On Baggage Offenders: 39%

8. The Armrest Hog: 38%

9. Seat-Back Guy (the seat recliner): 37%

10. The Queue Jumper (rushes to deplane): 35%

11. Overhead Bin Inconsiderate (stows bag in first available spot, rather than nearest to his/her seat): 32%