Why it’s better to sit next to a Gen Z passenger than a boomer on a flight
SITTING next to strangers is always tough on long flights, but there are some people that it’s better to be stuck next to than others.
There are some passengers who will complain about almost anything, while there are others who are a bit more relaxed.
It turns out that, apparently, younger Gen Z passengers are a lot more accepting of the people around them, while Baby Boomers are much more likely to complain.
Research carried out by consultation company Morning Consult revealed that Boomers are by some distance the most irritable passengers on planes.
Meanwhile, Gen Z adults are the least likely to kick up a fuss about their fellow passengers, even if they’re doing something annoying.
The survey also drew up a list of the most annoying passenger habits, with encroaching on personal space seen as the biggest offence.
That was closely followed by unhygienic behaviour, like taking off shoes and clipping toenails.
Drunk passengers, those listening to music without headphones and people trying to get off the plane before those in the rows in front of them also featured high on the list.
However, even if you’re prone to some of those behaviours, flying next to a younger adult could mean you’re a lot less likely to be confronted.
Morning Consult suggest this is because Gen Z have less of a “bitter” attitude.
They said: “Perhaps it’s because they haven’t spent as much time on planes as older generations. Perhaps it’s because their relatively limited life experience hasn’t left them bitter and cranky yet.
“Whatever the reason, Gen Z adults are, relative to older generations, far less bothered by almost all of the behaviours in question.
“In fact, for most behaviours, the older the generation, the more likely they are to be annoyed by a particular passenger behaviour.”
If you’re planning on having a drink during your flight, then it’s definitely better to be sat next to a Gen Z passenger, rather than a Baby Boomer.
Only 55 per cent of Gen Z respondents said they’d be bothered by someone getting drunk next to them on their flight.
Meanwhile, 83 per cent of older generation passengers said they’d find it irritating.
Other irritating behaviours from other passengers include people reclining their seats, which often divides opinion.
However, Sun Online Travel’s resident flight attendant revealed that there’s a magic phrase people can use to stop the person in front putting their seat back.
They said: “If you have a medical condition, like a history of deep-vein thrombosis or something, then we can ask the person in front not to recline.
“Or, if we have space, we can move you to a more comfortable seat further up near the front of the plane.
“You just need to tell us this and we’ll do what we can to help you.
“Otherwise, every passenger has the right to recline – it’s included in the seat price and everyone can use it.”
Meanwhile, this passenger resorted to punching the back of the person in front’s seat during a flight after they kept reclining.
And another person explained how they win reclining seat wars against other passengers.