Choose Your Seat Wisely
Enjoying a flight comes down to the luck of the draw half the time, and we're not just talking bout turbulence or seat selection. Who you end up sitting with can make or break your flight, no matter how long you're in the air. Here are 10 people we dread sitting beside during flights and 10 that make flying a breeze!
1. The Influencer
It's always jarring seeing influencers in the wild instead of confined to a screen. The cramped conditions mean that you're almost definitely going to be on camera even if you ask not to be, and that's without mentioning the 20-step in-flight skincare routine. Plus, you know they're going to find a way to make you into a clickbait video title.
2. The Vomitron
Planes come equipped with barf bags for a reason and we don't blame anyone for getting sick on the plane. You can't control it, we know. That said, there are few things less appealing than sitting beside someone unable to stop upchucking, especially if you're a proximity puker.
3. The Nervous Nancy
Just like with people who get motion sick, we don't blame those who get nervous on airplanes. We know how scary flying can be, and nobody would choose to spend the duration of their flight in a nervous spiral. However, nerves can be contagious, and listening to your seatmate catastrophize about how you're going to fall out of the sky won't do you any good.
4. The New Bestie
Friendships can form in unlikely places, but you're not likely to meet your platonic soulmate in economy class. This person is convinced that everyone they meet will be their best friend for life, chatting incessantly throughout the flight. The worst part is that they refuse to take a hint.
5. The Baby
Maybe this is controversial, but you shouldn't take babies on planes if you can help it. We know how young families want to go all-out for that first family vacation post-partum, but pressure changes are especially rough on babies. Save yourself, your child, and everyone around you some grief and wait until your baby is older.
6. The Complainer
Some people will complain about anything. Whether they're making comparisons to other airflines or flights or simply complaining for the sake of complaining, nobody wants to be seated next to a Debbie downer. There's no quicker way to dull your excitement about your trip.
7. The Divided Family
In terms of nightmare scenarios, being the middle seat between a couple or a parent and child is up there with all your teeth falling out and having to go back to high school. If you're lucky, you can switch seats with one of them to minimize being talked over. And don't even get us started on those parents who think their children are entitled to window seats.
8. The Drunkard
Some people cope with the stress of flying by having a drink or two, which is fine...in theory. It stops being fine when that drink turns into more than they can count. All bets are off for what happens next; we can only hope that they fall into a drunken sleep.
9. The Armrest Hog
Nobody needs both armrests unless there's a buffer seat between the two of you. There's no need to be greedy. The Constitution does not entitle you to intrude on the personal space of others.
10. The Plane Preacher
There are few things worse than settling into your seat for a long-haul flight and then hearing a voice go "Do you have a minute to talk about our lord and savior Jesus Christ?" There's a time and place for everything, and several miles in the air is no place for proselytizing.
Now that we've covered 10 people you never want to sit next to, let's look at a few who we wouldn't mind sharing airspace with.
1. The Silent Type
Airplanes are noisy enough as it is. Silent types know this; they also know that you're not likely to make a lasting connection on a plane. That's why they'll likely usher a quiet "hello", then zip their lips for the duration of the flight.
2. The Experienced Flyer
If you're a nervous flyer (and there's no shame in being one!) the best person you can sit next to is an old pro. Their unflappable calm will melt your worries like butter. Nothing can shake these people, not rain, nor turbulence, nor even emergency landings.
3. The Fellow Solo
Whoever said travel is about the journey not the destination clearly never went on an airplane. If you're lucky enough to be seated next to a fellow solo traveler, then you have little to worry about. You want nothing more than to get off this plane with your sanity in tact and so do they.
4. The Sightseer
Who needs movies when you have the most beautiful show on earth right outside your window? Sightseers tend to be first-time flyers or those with whimsy in their heart. They'll be too busy staring out the window and/or taking pictures to even notice you.
5. The Snacker
Your (air)mileage may vary on this one as the quality of the snacker is entirely dependent on the snacks. Airplane food tends to leave something to desire, and snackers know this, coming in clutch with pre-packaged snacks. If they're nice, they're likely to offer you some.
6. The Movie Buff
The movie buff is similar but different to another passenger you'll meet later on this list. Movie buffs are grown-up iPad babies and we mean this with affection. Put the latest blockbuster or rom-com in front of them and they'll be happy and quiet the whole time.
7. The Sleeper
Some people have the miraculous ability to conk out as soon as the plane takes off and wake up the second you touchdown. We envy these people, but not too much, because they don't know the joy of sitting beside an unobstrusive seatmate. On the flipside, if this person is a heavy sleeper and occupies the aisle seat, you can kiss the bathroom goodbye.
8. The Reader
If you sit next to a reader, you really luck out. Readers aren't interested in smalltalk, they're on a mission to read as much as they can. Don't disturb them in their mission and you'll both enjoy the flight.
9. The Travel Companion
if you have to sit next to someone for hours on end, the best you can hope for is someone you know and trust. You don't have to worry about annoying them (at least too much), you can share snacks or swap Lord of the Rings trivia during your watch-through. It's like a sleepover but in the sky.
10. Nobody
Sometimes, the best seat buddy is nobody at all. A buffer seat between you and another passenger prevents awkward interactions and gives both of you a place to put your stuff. And if you get the whole row to yourself, you can flip up the armrests and take a nap.
