Social IssuesMAY 17, 2026

Couple Makes Teen Suffer A 5 Hour Flight, Keep Bullying Him At The Airport But Karma Finally Catches Up

Ilona Baliūnaitė, Robyn Smith and Jonas Žvilius

Some say it's better to catch flights rather than feelings. Others insist on doing both at the same time - and not the good type of feelings. Yes, Karen, Kevin and all the other entitled plane passengers up there: we're talking about you, and your penchant for making travel a nightmare for others.

A guy has shared a story from his younger years about how he got revenge on a pregnant woman and her aggressive husband. The mom-to-be kept stealing his seat and being rude to him, while her bully husband went as far as laying hands on the teen. When nothing else worked, the guy resorted to some black magic, and put a "curse" on the unborn baby. The drama that followed ended up costing the couple hundred of dollars and lots of tears.

A rude pregnant woman and her aggressive husband kept intimidating a teen during his hours-long solo flight

Image credits: metod_ma/Envato (not the actual photo)

In a final act of self-defence, he put a "curse" on their unborn baby and all hell broke loose

Image credits: RDNE Stock project/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Chris F/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Pew Nguyen/Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: kinglive582

He explained why he couldn't, or didn't, press charges

These are the worst passengers, according to people who work on planes

Sometimes it feels that the higher up in the sky people get the further their manners are left behind. But not all plane passengers are born equal. In fact, airline crew say they can spot early on whether someone is going to be naughty or nice during a flight.

First impressions count, says one Alaska Airlines employee, who chose to remain anonymouse when speaking to Travel + Leisure.

“When a passenger comes on, makes eye contact, and says ‘hello,’ I generally feel at ease,” they said. “If they have acknowledged my existence, then I feel pretty confident they will be good passengers.”

A Southwest Airlines flight attendant agrees. “Traveling is stressful, but stress is contagious,” he said. “Friendliness goes a long way. We go above and beyond to maintain a positive demeanor and always appreciate when this is reciprocated.”

Another giveaway is thoughtfulness, like gifting the crew something small - not something many of us think of when traveling.

Image credits: Arlind D/Pexels (not the actual photo)

“If someone goes out of their way to spend hard-earned money to brighten our day, then that is a telltale sign of an easygoing, very chill, and all-around wonderful passenger,” said an American Airlines flight attendant. “We often work long, grueling schedules and have to forgo proper meals and caffeine. The thoughtfulness makes our days just a bit easier.”

The Alaska Airlines crew member added, “Little gifts like a bag of chocolate or $5 Starbucks gift cards are so, so nice.”

But you don’t even need to buy something. Sometimes a mere thank you does the trick. “I can’t tell you how many people didn’t even say ‘thank you’ when we would hand them a drink or answer questions,” says a retired United Airlines flight attendant. “Yes, we are doing our jobs, but it shouldn’t be thankless.”

If you’re the passenger who is always racing through the boarding gate in a mad rush, be warned: you may be flagged as difficult.

“Those who board frantically and immediately ask questions about luggage and connections are the ones who usually give us the biggest problems,” the Alaska Airlines cabin crew member says. “Take a beat, and understand that we will do everything possible to get you to your destination safely and comfortably. We aren’t miracle workers, though, and there are many factors that impact flights and schedules that are out of our control.”

But, not too surprisingly, many crew members agree that the most difficult passenger are the ones who have had one too many. “There is zero tolerance for being drunk on a plane,” warned the Alaska Airlines employee. “If I see someone slurring words or swaying during boarding, they will be removed. I don’t want to deal with them 40,000 feet in the air.”