✈️ 10 kinds of passengers you meet on planes
You never know who you’ll meet at 30,000 feet.
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Flying to new places opens up our world to countless possibilities…and people.
Each flight has a unique collection of passengers with different stories.
Also, each flight has people who travel in different ways.
I’m not a total flight guru, but have booked enough trips to notice some common types of airplane passengers.
Here are a few:
The sleeper: This is probably the most common airplane passenger you’ll find. The sleeper has different experience levels. Novice sleepers just cross their arms and close their eyes. The most experienced bring neck pillows, eye masks, and sweat pants. They become level 12 sleepers if traveling in slippers.
• The window closer: I get frustrated when the window seat passenger immediately closes the window. You miss out on potentially cool views. Also, I get extra tense whenever we hit some bumps and can’t look out the window. However, as the flight continues, I secretly start to appreciate this person. I’ve noticed flights seem calmer with closed windows. Usually a closed window helps me imagine we’re on a train, which I enjoy more than flying.
Bonus: This previous post can help you overcome a fear of flying.
• The shoulder reader: This person either peaks at your book or starts watching your movie (if your seat has a screen. For this reason, I try not to watch any movies with inappropriate scenes to avoid giving any shoulder readers a wrong impression.
• The talker: Often the shoulder reader morphs into the talker. These people can either be great or annoying. For instance, a good conversation can pass time quickly. However, chats can make the trip feel endless if you aren’t in the mood.
• The megaphoners: Many flights have at least one conversation that’s a little too loud. You can’t help but listen to their whole life story and how they adopted their second puppy.
• The walker: There’s always someone who needs to stretch their legs. These people can either be a godsend or a pain. You’ll move a lot if seated in an aisle seat next to a walker. On the bright side, the walker gives the window seat person chances to follow their lead so they can use the toilet.
• The business tripper: This person is usually on their laptop putting together an important presentation. There’s a decent chance they’ll order alcohol at some point.
• The rawdogger: This person will be in a meditative state the whole flight. If seated next to them, you might become famous because they will probably be recording themselves to share on social media. Note: Rawdogging (gross term) was a travel trend in 2024.
• The snack bringer: Some airplane passengers have the cheat codes for flying. These savvy folks bring their own snacks, which are often a lot tastier than the airline’s. On some special occasion’s I’ve been the snack bringer thanks to some help. My all-time favorite plane snacks: Empanadas (thanks to my wife Yesi) and New York Pizza (thanks to my buddy Jack).
• The weirdo who’s observing everyone else: I swear I’m not creepy! Travel writing means you have to observe a lot more than usual.
Of course, there are way more kinds of airplane passengers than this list. This is more for friendly humor and not intended to judge or offend anyone.
Am I missing any other type of passenger? Please share!
🚀 Travel Quote of the Week
“traveling - it gives you home in thousand strange places,
then leaves you a stranger in your own land.”
- Ibn Batuta
🌍 Fun World Fact
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are my favorite starting points when researching things to do in a new city or country. I recently learned that there are over 1,100 sites around the world to discover. The first 12 were declared in 1978. These original sites include Quito (Ecuador), Krakow’s city center (Poland), and the Aachen Cathedral in Germany. Italy holds the record with 58 sites (53 cultural and five natural).
🎏 Culture Corner
February 28, 2025 marked the beginning of Ramadan (“Ramadan Mubarak” to everyone who’s celebrating!). This world-renowned festivity lasts for a whole month.
This is one of the most sacred times of the year for people of the Muslim faith. Fasting is the most common practice and is viewed as a declaration of faith.
Here are some interesting facts about Ramadan I recently learned:
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.
This is believed when the Holy Qur'an was sent to Mohammad from heaven.
Muslims fast each day from sunrise to sunset.
The first meal after fasting is called iftar. This features halal meats, vegetables, breads, and cheeses.
Suhoor is the pre-fasting meal. The goal is load up on as many nutrients as possible.
Each night has a special prayer called Tarawih (night prayer).
The 27th night is called the Night of Power or Layat al-Qadr when Mohammad received the Holy Qur’an.
Eid al-Fitr is the final night, when people can break their fasts and exchange gifts.
Milk and dates are common fast-breaking foods.
Meals and prayers are meant to be shared with loved ones.
According to Statista, over two billion people around the world celebrate Ramadan. Traditions vary by family and country.
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That’s all for this week my friend. Once again, thanks for reading and your time. I feel truly grateful you chose this newsletter. More travel inspiration is coming next week!
Much love,
-Daniel
Instagram / Bluesky / Travel Coaching
P.S. Please let me know if you see any errors in this post! I do my best to share true information but mistakes sometimes happen.
Enjoy older Itchy Feet posts:
• 🛂 The top 7 countries Americans can visit without a visa
• 🧉 9 ways to not be an ignorant tourist when you travel
•🌟 If you travel and don’t do this, you’re wasting golden opportunities
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Flying really does bring such a mix of people together. I love how you break down the different types of passengers—those level 12 sleepers are on another level. Also, the snack bringer is definitely the real MVP of any flight!
Very enjoyable read! I also loved the fun facts about Ramadan.
The only passenger you left off is "the talker" who morphs into "the passed-out" due to excessive alcohol consumption. I'm hoping this is because you have never had the dubious pleasure of experiencing this.
Returning from Phoenix after enjoying a week at Major League Baseball spring training, I and my travel companion were subject to a young woman who talked nonstop. After we neared our destination, the plane went virtually silent. We realized that she was three sheets to the wind (make that four) and had passed out. The staff actually had to bring security to the plane to carry her out.
Thankfully, that only happened once.