45 Plane Seatmates That Made People’s Flights Memorable For All The Wrong Reasons

Overweight middle aged couple, they had window and middle and I had about half of the aisle seat. Seat rests up because they both bled into the other seat and forced me to cram. Really annoying too? Asking where she could get headphones, playing music out loud, no flight etiquette in general I can’t remember all the details. WiFi wasn’t free on the flight but I paid for it, and she was having me walk through the WiFi connection and not understanding that the unlimited WiFi wasn’t free, asking me to go into her settings for her, all this stuff with the phone. Asking the flight attendants to get items out of her bag in the overhead. Like please dig in my purse for me thanks! Also the couple loudly complained for the last hour of the flight which was only 3 hours about how they need to land now and get off this plane. I mean, same.

A large woman with BO was the worst I’ve experienced, but I try to have compassion for everyone, you don’t know their circumstances. Also I’ve travelled with my young children so I’ve probably been other passengers’ worst seatmate at times and I’d hope for compassion from them too.

Btw what was your point about the soda? 4 cans during an 8 hour flight doesn’t seem excessive to me….

On the way home from Orlando, I was seated next to a college girl. She was still partially drunk when she boarded and smelled like vomit. Passed out and proceeded to fart the entire 2.5 hour flight home.

Many years ago, when I was around 18-19 years old and in college, I went to visit my dad who was living in Korea at the time. On my trip back home to the US, I was on a non-stop flight from Seoul to Detroit. The guy sitting next to me was a much older Korean man, probably in his 50s, who kept wanting to talk to me and it kind of creeped me out but I was stuck. I pretended to sleep for part of the trip to try and avoid him. But while we were in flight, they were selling duty-free items, and he bought me a bottle of Chanel perfume. It was super weird and creepy because I was traveling alone, but as soon as we landed, I ditched the guy and thankfully didn't have to see him in customs since I was a US citizen and he wasn't so he was in the longer line.

Chicago to Moscow non stop is a long freaking flight. When I had the chance to upgrade to business for a few hundred more, I jumped at it. Within a few hours I was literally trolling economy to see if there were any seats back there I could move to instead, because Satan's spawn and the deadbeat who spawned her made the flight unbearable. 


Mom/nanny boarded with a 3-4 year old and brought nothing for the kid to do for a 13 hour flight. Lady set herself up by the window, put in headphones, and pretended the kid didn't exist. The kid was bored and decided to make the cabin her play ground. She was yelling, running, throwing things, climbing on the seat behind and pulling my hair, etc. i have a lot of patience but at one point I literally yelled at this woman to control her child. She just ignored me. The FAs refused to do anything. 


Sadly economy was full so I spent the whole flight regretting every penny I spent on the uograde. .

I was flying back home from a work conference in Denver once. I had a hangover from socializing the night before, but was otherwise in a good mood. The plane was delayed, and while waiting at the gate the lady next to me struck up a conversation. She was wearing a cat cardigan, cat pawprint leggings, a cat backpack, and cat earrings, and she was carrying a book about cats. She told me she'd been in Denver for a cat show (who knew that was a thing?). She was nice enough, but definitely eccentric, and would not stop talking.
Eventually we were allowed to board, and she sat right next to me. On boarding she picked up a carry crate containing her cat, which she slid under her seat (I was not aware you could do this. Again, who knew?).
She tried to keep talking incessantly about cats, and normally I'd be polite and at least half listen and nod, but my hangover was getting worse so after 30 min. or so I put my headphones in and proceeded to ignore her. Soon after we hit some turbulence. Her poor 'show cat' (whose name I've since forgotten) peed everywhere. The smell of cat urine pushed my hangover into migraine territory, prompting a visit to the airplane toilet to vomit. The cat proceeded to meow and wail the duration of the flight.

Definitely my worst flight experience.

ATL>FRA: A toddler who got airsick and puked all over herself and pooped her diaper three times.

It was MY kid, but still.

Fat guy. Long story short, my jacket AND shirt was soaked with his sweat. And my body, especially my back and neck, was sore for months because I had to sit for hours contorted. I had to throw away those clothes because washing AND dry cleaning wouldn’t get that stench out of my clothes. If you’re that big, buy another seat.

I recently sat by a girl who kept blowing her snotty nose into her fingers.

Not being cruel but this happened to me. Autistic person with spastic C.P. I felt for the guy but the constant slamming against the seat and yelling were a bit much for me. I worked with Autistic adults for 30 yrs so I smiled and did not complain but think the staff should have researched a handicapped seat or harness for the man.

Someone who doesn’t have headphones when you’re trying to read a new book you’ve been saving for this specific flight.

The toilet.    13 hour flight to Japan and my seat was next to the toilet.  Flight was smoking and I smoked so that helped.  Its was disgusting.  


About 7 years ago I was flying out to help a friend with her husband's memorial.  I booked a nice seat, not first but first row with leg room and window.  There was a lady in my seat and I asked her to leave.  She tried to give me puppy eyes and talk me into switching.  I ain't playing.  She got up with a cane and moved finally.  


The next day I woke up with pink eye.  Ew ew ew.  New I travel with disinfectant wipes. .

Coming back from LA to New York. An Italian family (from Italy) sat around me. The one daughter and I shared a 3 seater row. She looked like she had literally just come from the beach. She had on a front zip up green and white long sleeve booty showing wet suit situation on. Her bum was out. She had on flip flops. The rest of her family was dressed normal. She was in the window seat, I was in the aisle. She looked worse for wear. We take off she puts on feet on the middle seat and her toes are next to me leg. I tell her to put her feet down. She looks at me like no one has ever told her no before in her life. And I said put your feet down. She does really meekly. Then she starts to vape 🙃 this was in 2019 so it wasn't so popular just yet. And I was like what is wrong with you. And I guess I must have scared her because she called the flight attendant button and asked them if she could go to the bathroom....😑 And the flight attendant looked at me and I was like idk what her problem is. And I said to the girl you could have just asked me. And the same scared look. It was such a weird flight. Her family seemed totally normal tho.

Gross man in the middle seat next to me kept picking his nose and flicking it on the floor for most of the 2 hour flight.

A 6’6” jacked as f old guy to my left and a hefty big boy to my right. Im also no slouch either. We all had a great flight 🤦‍♂️.

I was in the window seat and this old lady sat down in the middle seat next to me. the second the plane starts backing up she immediately reached for the sick bag and starts throwing up and continues for the duration of the flight. it should also be noted that i have a debilitating phobia of vomit and spent the entire flight fighting a panic attack with my back fully turned to the woman. it was also my first solo flight and at the time i was also very nervous on planes. genuine nightmare scenario.

The middle passenger that half way through the flight is still asking if my husband (window) or I (aisle) want to switch seats so we can sit next to each other, even after refusing when she boarded and immediately after takeoff my husband is sleeping and I’m watching a movie but she continues to tap each of us, alternating between us, thinking she’ll wear us down, she didn’t. She then complained to a FA as she was getting off the flight. Flight attendant said “better luck next time”. 😂.

From Hawaii to LA I sat next to a guy wearing a small tank top and shorts who had clearly wiped out on a skateboard the previous day. Body was covered in road rash that was oozing the entire time. He just picked at all his wounds/scabs/ooze the entire flight.

Dutch lady kicking my chair behind me when I tried to lean it back the two inches it reclines. JA I HAF NO ROOM!

The man behind me on a flight from LHR-ORD pulled on my seat to help him stand up. He did this multiple times. I told asked him multiple times to stop doing this. He literally broke my seat, it would not go to an upright position anymore. Landing with a flopping seat back and no way to brace yourself is not something I care to experience ever again.