Plane Passenger Criticized After Using His Hands To Block The Screen Of The Person Sitting Behind Him
As if flying on planes wasn't bad enough...
Matej Kastelic / Shutterstock One airplane passenger has received a litany of criticism for not having proper airplane etiquette and disrupting the person sitting behind him.
In the "r/mildlyinfuriating" subreddit, one user shared a video of their cousin's flight experience being disturbed by the person in the seat in front of them. While they tried to watch a movie on the small airplane television, the person in the row ahead seemingly couldn't keep his hands to himself.
The plane passenger was filmed using his hands to block the screen of the person sitting behind him.
In the Reddit post, the person who uploaded the video claimed that this happened to their cousin who had been on a long-haul flight and was trying to enjoy the entertainment. However, their peace was disturbed by the person sitting in front of them, who apparently couldn't keep their hands from gravitating to the back of their seat.
In the nine-second clip, the plane passenger is seen leaning his hands back, interlocking his fingers and obnoxiously covering the television screen. At one point, the unnamed passenger begins to tap the screen of the person sitting behind him, clearly disrupting them.
Judging by the hands of the person, it seems to be an elderly passenger. It is likely that his actions were unintentional and he was unaware that someone was watching the television screen attached to his seat.
Nevertheless, the comments section was ablaze with people who found the actions of the plane passenger incredibly disrespectful.
Many offered humorous solutions, like holding his hands or even licking them. "Fake sneeze and flick some water on him," one user commented.
Others suggested simply asking the passenger to move his hands.
"So many of these posts are, 'This person mildly inconvenienced me but I was too inept to say something about it so now I’m going to post this on Reddit for clout,'" another user wrote. "Communicate. It’s not that hard to politely ask that they stop whatever’s causing the issue. Usually, it’s just a simple mistake and they’ll apologize and stop."
Another Redditor added, "Say something to the person. Sometimes people aren't socially conditioned to know what's acceptable and what's not acceptable."
"I would have asked nicely and hopefully he would move his hands," another user chimed in. "If he didn't, I would have told him to move and had the flight attendants explain it to him further."
Flight experts have explained some of the etiquette rules that passengers should follow on their next journey.
Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, spoke to TODAY about the things that airline passengers should never do while on a flight. While some tips included not letting your children roam around the cabin or not listening to anything on speakerphone, Gottsman also advised not to take too much room or sprawl out unnecessarily.
Photo: Friends Stock / Shutterstock
"The airplane cabin has tight quarters, and if you are extremely tall or know that you need more space, it’s best to pay extra for the legroom and extra space," Gottsman said. "Keep your arms and legs within your own seat proximity and do your best to keep your area tidy."
On top of that, Gottsman also advised plane passengers to try and exercise kindness when they can.
"In general, life seems to flow better when interacting with friendly faces and pleasant people," she added "Traveling is never easy because lines are long and flight delays are stressful. Do your best to stay polite and courteous."
Regarding the incident, the best plan of action in this scenario is to politely bring up the concern with the passenger, and if that doesn't work, explain the issue to a flight attendant.
As many people noted in their responses, it's likely that the elderly man wasn't aware that he was disturbing the passenger sitting behind him. Still, we all must remain aware of other people on a flight.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.