Air travel pet peeves: Clipping toenails on board a flight is too much for some people

And you thought the very strong odor of certain foods wafting toward you from someone else on a plane was annoying.

As millions of Americans get ready to head into holiday travel in the months ahead, etiquette on board planes is becoming even more important than it usually is — especially with so many people crammed tightly into the small spaces on board today’s commercial airplanes.

People are annoyed by those who recline their seats directly in front of them, according to a new survey done by “Fox News @ Night” on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022.

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“The list is long” about what bothers people on board planes, noted host Trace Gallagher on Monday evening.

A “Fox News @ Night” Twitter poll found that more than 50% of people are bothered when others recline their seats on planes directly in front of them.

A view of a commercial airliner cabin with passengers. Top pet peeve in a new Twitter poll done this week by "Fox News @ Night" shows that people who recline their seats very much bother others.
(iStock)

“They do not like it when people recline their seat,” said Gallagher.

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Next after that in terms of pet peeves: Those who do not use their earbuds (for their music or whatever else they’re listening to), said some 35% of the people who participated in the poll.

“We’re all paying customers. We all have the option to recline.”

And next up after that: People who eat messy food on a plane, said nearly 14% of the people who took part in the survey.

In terms of reclining a seat or not: “We’re all paying customers. We all have the option to recline,” said Fox News national correspondent Matt Finn on the program on Monday evening.

"Not every person sitting in front of me would like to check if I have something sitting on the [tray] table" before they recline a seat, said one person who participated in a new Twitter poll. 
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But many air travelers are considerate: They will recline a seat only when they’re trying to sleep — and many will turn around and give the person behind them a heads-up first.

“I always check if the person sitting behind me has something on [their tray] table before reclining my seat,” tweeted one person last night about the issue.

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“But not every person sitting in front of me would like to check if I have something sitting on the table,” the person also said.

Not many passengers on board a plane appreciate it when others near them remove their shoes, eat strong-smelling foods — or clip fingernails (theirs or their children’s). 
(iStock)

Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore of Florida shared with Fox News Digital recently these five smart tips for those preparing to recline an airplane seat. 

1. Recline slowly and gently. Doing so will (usually) alert the person behind you.

2. If the person behind you has long legs, be courteous and don’t recline all the way.

It’s a common courtesy to take a peek behind you before reclining your seat.

3. If you’re already reclined, slowly bring your seat forward when a meal is served.

4. If you’re trying to eat or work and the person in front of you reclines their seat too far, it’s OK to politely ask that person to slightly raise their seat.

5. It’s a common courtesy to take a peek behind you before reclining your seat, in order to watch out for potential knees or computers that might get smashed in the process.

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Other people shared additional pet peeves while flying or traveling.

These include people removing their shoes during the flight; people painting their nails during air travel; and people “bunching around the baggage claim” once they get off the plane and not allowing others to be able to grab their suitcases or bags from the baggage claim conveyor belt.

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Another person indicated this pet peeve: A mom on board was actually clipping her baby’s fingernails and toenails during the flight. 

It’s just too much for some people, “Fox News @ Night” indicated.

Here’s yet another pet peeve as noted on “Fox News @ Night”: What about when people behind you grab your seat in order to steady themselves or get themselves out of their own chair — and never say a word or apologize in any way that they’ve moved your chair or headrest?

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“And then they slingshot your head” once they let go of that chair. 

“And they never even look at you,” noted Gallagher about this perplexing behavior on board airplanes today.