Misbehaving children while traveling is a great pet peeve. One that kicks the seat, runs up the aisle, or crys out to Mommy constantly during the flight. :(

People who bumrush to the front during deplaning.
 

I have to fly WN for work so I see this a lot on WN, but also on other airlines. When the plane arrives and we get to the gate, why can't people file out in a sane, orderly manner. Start at the front row, alternate sides, letting the rows in front de-plane first? Until your row is about to deplane, sit down and don't crowd the aisles and do not try to push ahead past people. Unless you are needed for a kidney transplant, you can wait a few seconds for people to deplane ahead of you.

Without fail, the minute the ding is sounded, people stand up like they are forcibly ejected from the seat and start pushing and shoving ahead. When I see these encroachers coming, I want rush into the aisle and tie my shoe in the middle of the aisle while they huff and puff and clutch their pearls.

Since I fly steerage, I don't know if it is just coach, but in the last 5 years, there has been such a depletion of civility when flying.

Okay. Rant over.

I had an overnight flight from Toronto to Rome on AC and the flight attendants were so heavy that they could not walk down the aisle without bumping into my arm and waking me up. [Both of the flight attendants on my aisle and, I think, one on the other].

Breakfast 2 hours before flight time on overnight flights from the East Coast to Europe.

Extremely poorly organized procedures for merging lanes in security (Terminal E in Boston).

Officious flight attendants (often AC) and, I think the expression I learned on FT, lounge matrons or lounge dragons (often on European airlines).

Generally, flight attendants who really don't enjoy the job (often those who have done it for 20 years too long).

Having the airline lose my bag and then somehow be indignant that they have to do anything for me and have no idea where it is.

Folks who have a seat in row 20, but go talk to a friend in row 3 who pre-boarded, and insist on standing in the aisle the entire time without moving.

Folks who just insist on opening all the overheads in F, trying to find a spot for their bag, and then walk back to coach.

That reminds me...

People who are in row 40 putting their bags in the overhead at row 20, so they can be lazy.

Reading this people might wonder why we bother to fly at all ;)

Just thinking back on my experiences flying last year it has been an interesting time for - luckily for me I have been flying in international J the whole time so a lot of problems/peeves haven't impacted me - not many kids and sleeping in a skybed I dont get pulled around too much.

I guess my main peeve is really a bad one - in that I am only peeved because people impact on my own opinion of my importance in the world. I get peeved when people slow me down - either on the walkway, in front of me on boarding/deplaning, being in the wrong lane, etc. etc. All I want to do is get on and off as quickly as I can - why cant people just let me do that????

Isnt more so that they can actually find some space and get on/off faster rather than laziness?

Considering row 40 typically boards BEFORE row 20, I'll go with LAZY

The person who has difficulty walking and must be assisted while walking through the jetbridge, but must be the first person off the plane and has an oversized carry-on. Bag+person+person = no room to pass in the jetbridge!

ooh, forgot ome

Folks who go into the Elite/First check-in lines (at a station where they don't check), but don't belong there

On one trip this fall, in an airport I don't remember, the security officer in charge of the detector was loudly announcing to everyone in the long lineup that there is no need to take off wrist watches to go thru the detector "unless you have a Rolex." I always take off my watch going thru because I'd rather do that than risk the delay of getting pulled aside for hand screening. So this time, rather than look like I think I have a Rolex on my wrist, I leave on my reasonably priced Bulova. Sure enough - the detector picks it up, and I'm pulled aside for hand screening. Can't win.

I stopped wearing a belt in my jeans when traveling because by the time I take off coat and whatever other external wear, plus shoes, and then belt, it was too much like undressing. Easier to forget about the belt. Traveling has had an impact on my fashion!

I'll go along with you on this one to a point: Yes, it's annoying when the steerage passengers feel the need to make a comment as they walk thru First Class during boarding. On the other hand, one of these days (I haven't done this yet, but I was SERIOUSLY tempted just the other week when one member of a group of 15 got an upgrade (and happened to be sitting next to me) and the other 14, every one of them, felt the need to make a comment as they walked by), when someone says something like "Smells like first class", I'll smile up at them smugly and say, "Yep, sure does!"

Smacking, snapping or popping gum!

When I'm the next in line to check in and the person ahead of me takes an eternity! What the heck are they doing? when i finally get there 30 mintues later it takes 20 seconds for the boarding pass. Is it me?

How everyone HAS to standup and grab their bags as soon as the plane parks, and then hold their bags over their heads and in uncomforable positions to perhaps save 3 seconds once the doors open and the line moves.

People who seem to NEVER have gone througha security line before even though they are in the elite frequent flyer line.

The biggest pet peeve I have is the general uncivility that abounds air travel. The fact is if you are traveling in coach, its an uncomfortable ride that has a similar effect on all passengers regardless of status. What makes it worse is surly attitudes (ie I didn't get my upgrade, have to sit next to someone that is big, has children, or thinks they own the arm rest.) We need to start looking at air travel for what it is, a mass public conveyance full of annoyance. I try and smile and be courteous to all, even when they think they own the arm rest.