10 Most Annoying Things You Do While Traveling

Hogging the Armrests

Three travelers, six arms, yet only four armrests—flyers have to share. If you're hogging the armrests, your seatmates may silently be plotting to "accidentally" spill their in-flight drinks on your lap during the next round of turbulence. We say learn to share or leave the armrest alone for the poor person stuck in the middle seat.

Constant Comparisons To Home

Are you starting every other sentence with "In America" or "Back home, we …?" If so, everyone around you may be cringing as soon as you open your mouth. Focus on the moment instead of what's waiting for you back home—didn't you go on vacation to experience another country, not to talk excessively about your own? (There's nothing wrong with sharing stories about your life back home with people who are curious about it—it's the constant, unsolicited comparisons that are annoying.)

Trying to Beat Everyone Out of the Plane

The plane is still taxiing toward the gate, and you're already up out of your seat, getting your carry-on bag, and running up the aisle. You're not more important than everyone else on the plane, so sit down and wait until the seatbelt sign is off rather than trying to cut in front of all the other passengers. This goes double for when the flight attendant announces that passengers with close connections be allowed to leave first—if you block their way when you don't even have a tight layover, we hope that karma causes you to miss your next flight.

Not Controlling Your Children

Oh, you think it's cute that little Timmy is learning how to stretch his legs—by kicking the seat of the stranger in front of him? It's people like you that are making others call for child-free flights. We understand that you can't forcibly muffle your crying baby on a plane, but please at least try to distract/entertain/restrain the little one from annoying other passengers.

Clicking Fingers

If you snap or click your fingers to get the flight attendant's attention, don't expect him or her to slip you any free drinks or blankets. Flight attendants voted that action the thing that annoys them the most. Try ringing the call bell if you really need something.

Bringing Too Much on the Plane

Smugly sitting in your seat with your oversized carry-on, laptop, purse, and puffy winter overcoat taking up your entire row's overhead compartment? Don't be that person. Bringing too much stuff on the plane is annoying to everyone else with a carry-on, to the flight attendants who have to rearrange your stuff, and to everyone stuck behind you as you put it all up and take it all down.

Holding Up Security

Every security line seems to have one hot mess in it—that poor flustered flyer who just can't get it together. She can't find her liquids in her overstuffed suitcase (probably because she's chatting on her cell phone while searching), and then she sets off alarms after she refuses to take off her belt and jewelry. Be prepared and dress appropriately for the checkpoint so you don't annoy the security personnel and everyone behind you.

Name Dropping

Most commonly found at backpacker hostels, this annoying breed of traveler finds a way to work every exotic destination he's ever been to into the conversation—no matter what you're talking about. Dare to mention a destination and this guy will one-up you with a series of increasingly far-flung spots that he's already been to. Resist the urge to brag about your travels to everyone you meet—remember that you learn more by listening!

Reclining All the Way Back

It's a hotly debated topic but there's no way around it—reclining your seat all the way back is annoying to the person behind you. You've just made it difficult for that poor flyer to watch the seatback TV, eat a meal, or use a laptop. The person behind you paid for his or her seat (and the space in front of it) too, so try to compromise; and if you absolutely have to recline, try not to do it so far back that your head is in someone else's lap. And always give a warning or put your seat back slowly, instead of just slamming it all the way back and potentially breaking someone's laptop screen or spilling their hot coffee (or both).

Expecting Everyone To Speak English

We're not saying you have to become fluent in the language of every country you visit, but assuming that everyone in a foreign country speaks English is annoying and rude. Learning how to say, "Do you speak English?" in the local tongue goes a long way toward making you less annoying. Bonus points for learning simple phrases like "hello," "please," and "thank you."

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