My pet peeve - flying with my husband and ALWAYS having to take the middle seat because he needs the aisle for his long legs. OK we could seat across the etc if it really bothered me that much.... would prefer aircraft with sets of 2 seats instead of 3.

Sitting in said middle seat and having the gentleman in the seat next to me falling alseep leaning heavily on the armrest and inadvertently changing the channel or volume of the IFE I am trying to watch.

I totally agree about the cell phones. People who insist on chitchatting until the last possible second before takeoff and then turn their phones on and make calls before the doors have even opened. If it's just a quick call to coordinate a pickup, that's fine....but it NEVER is. They talk because they can and everyone is subjected to their conversation (like a couple flights ago, when a woman had to babytalk with each of her kids - the cabin was hot and crowded and dead silent except for her cooing into the phone for 10 minutes straight while we waited to deplane). I think there are just some people who can't live without cell phones (I work with a few of them too). I always use text-messaging if I'm trying to reach someone while still on the plane, or gee, I hold on for a few minutes and call on the way to baggage claim so no one else has to be bothered with my call.

Another time I was on a flight with 3 seats where I had the window. There was only one other passenger in my row...and she sat in the MIDDLE seat right next to me. Argh.

How about the people who bring their whole lives to the plane - use the seat for a trash bin, empty their purses, get into the overhead bins 20 times, constantly call the attendant, get up and walk around to see the sights, eat messy fruit they brought with them (bananas really get to me, and they shove the peels into their empty Starbucks cups that are smushed into the seat pocket).

Often I try to sleep right away, so I close my shade early. On one flight, the attendant insisted it was FAA regulations to keep shades up during takeoff and landing. I have no idea if it's true, but in all the flights I've taken, this was the only time I've heard that. Why would it make a difference?

Another flight attendant saw my bag of snacks under my seat and asked if it was trash. I told her no, but I had a bunch of other trash that I would like picked up. She ignored that request and told me that I'd get fined for bringing food into the US (this was a flight from LHR). I told her it was sealed stuff, like candy and bottled water, not raw meat and produce. She still insisted I'd get fined and never came back to pick up the trash.

As far as kids, I definitely prefer not to be around them on a plane, although most times they're okay. I've had everything from the kid whose parents don't pay any attention to him and refuse to discipline or control him to the parents who over-indulge their kids. I saw this situation on my last flight, where the parents let the kids climb over the seats, sit on the armrests, and step on the armrests to reach the aisles. They spent half the time standing in the aisles talking to the kids, getting snacks out of the overhead bins, playing cards, chitchatting with each other, and basically taking over the whole side of our plane without realizing they might be imposing on other passengers. It was plainly obnoxious but at least the kids weren't crying.

Flying is fun!

In addition to the talkers, recliners, etc., I hate when I'm told to put the window shade down for some one who wants to watch the idiot box. I go out of my way to get window seats, I'm fascinated by the views, the geography, the geomorphology. I don't want to gape, slack jawed, at the electronic tit.
I've been asked nicely, BUT really got irked when an FA once just leaned across and slammed my window shade down. Another time someone on the aisle said "hey the movie's starting" as though it was inconceivable that one wouldn't want to watch. (I paid for my ticket, too, and I'm watching the floodplains/mega river systems, thank you very much.)

Don't be surprised to have the newspaper pulled forward the second time. ;)

Depressing the recline button works better once they begin to pull. :eek: @:-)

I sat next to two different people on two separate flights last week that REEKED of cigarette smoke/booze. One was on an RJ where I had the coveted 14D (the seat along the back wall of the plane that has no seats in front of it, all the way up to the jump seat at the front of the plane). Next to me in 14A, a large 6"2' woman was very cramped. I would have switched with her, except I didn't want to be squished between her and the wall, breathing her foul cigarette smoke stench. Blech.

It is important to keep the shades up for take off and landing so there is visibility to outside to see a problem, for example fire, in the case of an emergency.

Similarly, dimming cabin lights for take offs and landings in the dark helps your eyes adjust to the dark in case there is an emergency.

Most of my pet peeves have already been mentioned (especially the seat-back yanker :mad: I'll use the seatback button on my next flight ^ ), but here are a couple other minor irritants:

I always shake my head when the FAs start closing up all the overhead bins before everyone has boarded. Of course, the last bunch of folks will start opening and closing the bins, pathetically hunting around, praying for some place to stick their carryon. Usually this is done in vain -- a total waste of time. How is someone supposed to know if the bin is full or not?

Pilots who proudly proclaim that the plane has arrived way early, but then proceed to explain that since the gate is occupied, we'll have to wait around on the tarmac for a while (pretty much for the whole amount of time we were "early").

When the FAs announce that it's OK to turn on the cell phones, the ensuing cacophony of bleeps, bloops and miscellaneous polyphonic pandemonium, usually turned up way too loud. I have my power up/down alerts disabled since I don't feel it's necessary -- does one really need to be alerted if the phone is right there in hand?

Or how about before it's time to turn off the phones, those folks who don't think it's a priority to answer their phones within a couple rings? The sucker's just blaring away, and they feel it is necessary to finish reading the paragraph of whatever they're reading. Answer it, you moo-yah!!

People who turn their cell phones on and start talking the second the spoilers pop-up on landing. Before the nosewheel has even touched the ground.

People who carry on gross ethnic foods that only them and their family would like. There is no reason to bring gizzard stew or fried feet onboard an airplane.

Airline staff that speak to you in a langauge you obviously do not know. For example, in CA one of the agents tried to speak to me in Spanish despite me having a non-spanish name, documents from Canada and a boarding pass to Toronto.

Superb topic!

I've got a lot:

-People who recline full-way back (especially on charters) when that 30' turns into 24'.
-People incapable of saying thank-you to the flight attendants
-People who have to be first off the aircraft and will do anything to push their way out
-People that must have their business class in private and snap at an F/A who leaves the curtain open
-People in first who snare back on the economy-ans thinking "Look at me, I'm better than you all!!!"
-When people won't keep arms, legs, and other objects clear of the aisle and make the flight attendants ask them for the fourth time
-When people need help NOW and push the flight attendant button non-stop causing the "Ding" in the back of the cabin...that get annoying when you're sitting in the back
-Those who will ask "Do you have cola?" after the flight attendant just said what they had
-Those who need to take armrests, especially when there are two of them on either side of you, leaving you with no armrest
-Those who will get push in order to get a free upgrade
-Those who have to get their luggage off the luggage "wheel" first and will take off other luggage and leave you standing elsewhere watching other luggage rotate wondering "Where the helk is my bag???"

I'm sure I'll come up with more later! :D

people who don't check their oversized luggage - and then cause problems and delays when they can't find a place for it.

Oh my-I forgot that one, too.

It's always amusing seeing these idiots try to shove their way back to the front of the aisle, with huge bag in tow, as the stream of passengers is boarding the plane.

My latest pet peeve is the crackberry addicts that use their Blackberrys while in the air. For some reason, they feel excluded from the all electronics off below 10k ft. I've seen more than one shouting match that resulted from their arrogance and ignorance.

i think that we need to realise that in a small cabin area, you can't always have things your way which is the feeling i get from some of the complaints on this thread.

I can tolerate most habits of people but i cannot stand being talked to in a condescending manner by either passengers or crew. I have had to raise my seat by someone who says " can you raise your seat... cheers" What happen to social graces and the ps and qs.

It has always been my understanding that you get your right armrest only (and if you happen to have the window both).