We’ve all had it. You’re excited about your vacation, with bags packed and a ticket in hand, but then you encounter them. Those special travelers who inexplicably transform your travel experience into survival training.
While some travel inspires the best human behavior, it also inspires the very worst in others. These 13 types of travelers have perfected the art of making the trip more challenging for everyone else.
In case you find them at 30,000 feet or standing in eternally long security lines, these people assure you that occasionally the trip really is more difficult than the destination.
The forever overpacker
This person arrives at the airport with enough luggage to relocate permanently. They’ve somehow managed to exceed every size and weight limit known to aviation, yet act genuinely shocked when the airline charges extra fees.
At security, they unpack their entire life story: seventeen electronics, forty-three bottles under 3.4 ounces each, and mysteriously, a full-sized bottle of shampoo they swear they “forgot” about.
The overpacker puts their own journey on hold, causing bottlenecks wherever they go. They’re the reason you’re missing your gate connection because they need seventeen bins at the security line and take twenty minutes to reopen everything.
Their carry-on luggage requires three grown adults and a mechanical engineer to pack into the overhead bin, usually leading to a domino effect of luggage strewn all over the cabin.
The seat kicker behind you
The seat kicker comes in many forms: the bouncy kid whose legs are not quite long enough to touch the floor, the corporate executive who uses your seat back as his private footrest, or the person who obviously was trained to sit by an unusually aggressive kangaroo.
What’s even more infuriating is their complete lack of consideration for your suffering. You spin around with increasingly obvious glares, clear your throat, and even try the passive-aggressive seat adjustment, but nothing can shatter their cocoon of thoughtlessness.
Meanwhile, you’re being given a deep tissue massage you never asked for, delivered to you through two inches of airplane seat cushion.
The armrest hog
Airplane manners decree that the middle seat gets both armrests in exchange for sitting between two strangers. But the armrest hog has not gotten this global memo.
These space-faring visitors make the already cramped flight experience an exercise in bodily chess.
You’re contorting yourself into impossible positions, wedging yourself up against the aisle or window to escape unwanted proximity. They’re reclining there contentedly, blissful, unaware that they’ve invaded your personal space for the duration of the flight.
The loud phone talker
All within the three-terminal range are rendered unwitting players in this individual’s personal melodrama. They answer business calls on board, discuss intimate aspects of their relationship over the public address system as they await liftoff, and somehow believe the volume concerns are mitigated at altitude.
Their conversation runs from dull shopping lists to confidential business deals, all stadium-announcement volume. The blowhard phone caller is in the delusion that his call is urgent and of interest to anyone within earshot. They’re the reason noise-canceling headphones exist.
The bathroom line cutter
Just when the call of Mother Nature comes at 35,000 feet, this person bursts in with all the speed of a human running away from a natural disaster. They hurry past everyone, standing patiently, armed with elaborate excuses about connecting flights, sickness, or mysterious crises that somehow don’t prevent them from taking a speed dash to duty-free shopping after.
The bathroom line cutter has mastered the art of looking desperately and entitled at the same moment. They’ll get your attention with excuse-me faces while unapologetically cutting in front of you, forcing uncomfortable standoffs no one wishes to encounter. Their actions transform a basic bodily function into a tricky social game.
The window shade controller
They use the window shade as their own switch, disregarding the fact that their lighting control affects everyone else around them. They’ll slam it shut at takeoff when everyone wants to see what’s outside, then burst it wide open during the movie when the cabin has been deliberately darkened.
The window shade controller operates without saying hello to their neighbors, creating an ever-shifting light environment that makes reading impossible and sleep increasingly unlikely.
The recline warrior
The moment the seatbelt sign is extinguished, this person throws their seat back as if they are ejecting an ejector seat in reverse. They don’t glance over their shoulder, don’t recline gradually, and certainly don’t consider someone who is using the tray table to store their laptop, drink, or snack.
Their rude jolt triggers a domino effect, sending knees flying and spilling beverages.
The recline warrior defends their right to recline with the passion of an individual fighting for their constitutional rights.
They take it personally when they are instructed to budge, even if their head is literally in your lap and you’re snacking on airplane peanuts off their hair. They’ve learned to be experts at selective awareness, completely oblivious to the inconvenience their comfort is causing.
The overhead bin space thief
Despite being in group seven, this individual appears to feel entitled to prime overhead bin space. They will reposition other people’s bags, force their giant bag into spaces obviously designed for smaller bags, and build Tetris-like puzzles that take engineering degrees to decipher.
The overhead bin space bandit operates on the premise that nobody has ever heard of assigned seating and logical storage systems. They’ll jam their coat up in the bin above row five while they’re seated in row twenty-three, causing flight attendants to hunt and peck with passenger items during landing procedures.
The aisle wanderer
This restless soul employs the airplane aisle as their own private stroll route, pacing along and back with all the gravity of a mall walker. They aren’t going anywhere special; they just want to stretch their legs every seventeen minutes, despite meal service, sleeping travelers, or drink carts in their path.
They’re busiest at the worst possible moments, when you’ve finally gotten comfortable, when the lights go out, or when everyone else wants to exit intelligently.
The snoring symphony conductor
Just as the cabin is winding down for sleep, this person begins their evening concert playing. Their snoring goes from light grunting to full-fledged freight train impersonations, with the added feature of frequent gasps that have you questioning whether or not to call in a doctor.
The carry-on contraband smuggle
After numerous announcements and clear signage, this person arrives at security with stuff banned since the dawn of flight. They pack full-sized toiletries, suspicious electronics, and mysterious liquids that are either high-end skincare or chemistry experiments.
Their genuine shock at being held back suggests they’ve never flown before, despite being a frequent flyer.
The boarding zone rebel
Gate announcements are straight to the point, saying “Now boarding Group 3,” but this person took it to mean “Now boarding Everybody Who Has Ever Considered Flying.” They create confusion, delay, and crowd dynamics that hinder orderly boarding.
The departure gate musical chairs champion
He views airport seating as an investment asset. He’ll spread his belongings across multiple seats by the gate and then stand up, disappearing for hours to look around, eat, or wander about, leaving his coat as a placeholder behind.
When he returns, he’s incredulous that other individuals have moved his placeholder items into actual sitting. The gate squatter operates within the context of airport homestead laws, which seemingly grant ownership based on temporary possession. They’ll harass gate agents regarding “their” seat, despite airport seats being based on a first-come, first-served paradigm and not a reservation system controlled by discarded sweaters and travel guides.
Key takeaways
These thirteen characters illustrate that travel is indeed a matter of the journey, and not just the destination, although at times we wish it were otherwise. While technology has made it easier to book flights and travel more efficiently, it hasn’t addressed the inherent paradox of flying with other humans.
The next time you encounter one of these travel mates, remember that patience is not just a virtue, it’s a survival tactic. Pack your sense of humor along with your carry-on luggage, because somewhere between boarding and deplaning, you’re bound to meet at least three of these sweethearts.
Safe flying, and may your journey be filled with more agreeable surprises than armrest battles.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
We scoured the Internet to see what people had to say about gas station food. If you think the only things available are wrinkled hot dogs of indeterminate age and day-glow slushies, we’ve got great, tasty news for you. Whether it ends up being part of a regular routine or your only resource on a long car trip, we have the food info you need.
Let’s look at 6 gas stations that folks can’t get enough of and see what they have for you to eat.
