The 7 most annoying things people do on flights, according to airline passengers

Some 31% of passengers in the survey said they find it annoying when other travelers ask to switch seats with them. Insider writer Anais Monique, a former flight attendant, said passengers should approach cabin crew on board in case of such disputes. Several of these incidents have gone viral on social media and left travelers divided.

In March, an influencer posted a video on TikTok about refusing to swap seats so a family could sit together. People online mostly agreed with the decision.

Some 31% of respondents said it's annoying when their seatmate uses both armrests. The question of who should rightfully use the armrests remains a subject of ongoing debate among passengers.

In April, a TikToker shared videos about plane etiquette. This included the question of whether the passenger in the middle seat deserves to use both armrests. Some passengers disagreed, saying that people should take turns using the armrests.

Some 31% of survey respondents said passengers should avoid reclining their seats when flying. But people online are divided on whether it's acceptable for passengers to recline their seats on planes.

In August, a TikToker posted a video of herself "hating on" a man in front of her for reclining his seat, and she said that it was disrespectful. While some people agreed, others said it wouldn't be realistic to keep your seat upright, especially on a long-haul flight.

Some 35% of respondents said they find it annoying when passengers remove their footwear on a flight. Planes aren't known for being the cleanest places — and one flight attendant told Insider that passengers should keep their shoes on to avoid stepping on dirty surfaces.

In April, a travel influencer posted a video on TikTok saying that nobody should be removing their shoes on a flight. But many users disagreed with him, with some saying that it would be uncomfortable to keep their feet covered on long-haul flights.

Some 39% of survey respondents said passengers should avoid talking to strangers — and if they do, they shouldn't talk too much. But some travelers have shared that talking to other passengers on a flight can actually turn out to be a good thing, and isn't always breaking travel etiquette.

In July, a make-up artist posted a TikTok showing her doing her seatmate's makeup on a flight. The artist shared that the other passenger felt beautiful thanks to her help as she was undergoing chemotherapy.

Some 42% of survey respondents said they felt annoyed when passengers put their calls or videos on speaker — especially if it's loud.

In August, an annoyed American Airlines pilot went viral for his preflight speech teaching manners to passengers. He said they should use their earphones and avoid playing anything on their phones at full volume. People online agreed with the pilot, with many saying that passengers need to be more considerate when flying.

Some 42% of survey respondents said that passengers grooming themselves on a flight is the most annoying thing they can do — and that includes painting or clipping their nails and trimming their facial hair.

In February, a video posted on TikTok showed a male passenger wearing a dark shirt and pair of shorts clipping his nails. The passenger was then shown flicking the pieces of nails to the person sitting beside them, and needless to say, people online were outraged. Some users said they would confront the man, and that they felt disgusted by his behavior.