What's wrong with airline passengers these days?

[Joe Nation]

I haven't been flying a lot since the pandemic began. I've probably only taken 2 or 3 airplane rides since early 2020. I have however, heard quite a few stories about unruly passengers disrupting flights with stupid aggressive behaviors and have certainly seen the videos.

I was flying out west last week and about two hours into the flight, the flight attendants were pushing the drink/snack cart from front to back for the second time. I was about 7 seats from then back of the plane when this woman, probably in her fifties, but looked older due to a weathered face started bitching and complaining about not being able to use the restrooms in the front of the plane because the cart was blocking the aisle. They asked her to please use the restrooms in the back. She stood next to me complaining and swearing about how the line was so long and that she had to wait, and every other word was F-this, F-that directed at the flight attendants.

Eventually, the flight attendants made their way next to my seat. And just about then, this woman came up behind them and demanded that they move because they had told her to use the restrooms in the back. The flight attendant was nice to her right up to the moment this woman let go a "Fucking Bitch!" comment at her.

The more than capable flight attendant took this woman all the way to the back of the plane and read her the riot act. This passenger was either already drunk or was the crassest piece of white trash I have ever come across or both. The flight attendants moved their cart all the way back and told her to go to her seat and stay put or else.

I was stunned and so was my adult son who was sitting across the aisle from me. We couldn't believe what we just witnessed. What is wrong with these people? There needs to be a no-fly, one-strike policy for people like this individual.

The pattern that I have seen in society since Trump unleashed these morons on the rest of us is that these people think that their uneducated opinions and crass behaviors are their right. They act exactly like spoiled children. The more freedom they think they have, the more abusive they feel they can be. Any parent worth their salt would correct that behavior immediately and not let them ramp it up. Very disturbing trend in this country.

[NewHendoLib]

1. TFG unleashed the assholes. It is a cult of deplorable disgust

[Mr.Bill]

2. Alcohol seems to be the common denominator

in most of these incidents. They should ban all alcohol on planes and maybe even in the airports. If not by law, then as a policy of the airline. I know I would have a preference for flying on an airline that was alcohol-free.

I am a drinker myself and enjoy a drink or two on a flight but I would gladly give it up. Maybe the Flight Attendants Union could lobby for it.

[SoCalDavidS]

4. There's No Way The Airlines Will Forgo The Big Bucks They Make On Alcohol Sales

They can charge $5+ for those little tiny bottles of booze.

And I doubt any lobby by the Flight Attendants Union would go very far. While important, it's not something they're likely to go on strike over.

[Mr.Bill]

8. The money they make on drinks

will not make or break an airline. All they would have to do is raise the ticket prices a little.

[SoCalDavidS]

11. I Just See No Chance That It Happens

Southwest Airlines wasted absolutely no time starting to resume alcohol sales a few weeks ago.

I imagine that Every Single Day, they had the same Assholes who bitched about having to wear masks, bitching about not being able to buy alcohol.

[Joe Nation]

6. I think they're drinking in the airport before the board.

Kind of hard to stop that.

[Mr.Bill]

7. Absolutely. That's why I mentioned getting it out of the airport.

Another possibility would be breathalyzers before boarding if anyone was looking like they were drunk.

[SoCalDavidS]

12. They Are Allowed To Refuse Boarding If They Think You're Too Intoxicated nt

[Mr.Bill]

13. Yes they are.

Maybe there needs to be more training in spotting the problem before boarding. You might still have a scuffle if you refuse boarding, but at least they won't be 30,000 feet in the air on a plane. And there are always law enforcement personnel in airports.

[stollen]

3. I'm assuming it was a US flag carrier.

I used to have to take those, but since retirement, not. I would always look for a foreign carrier before booking with a US one these days. My patience couldn't handle the rude behavior. Though it would be fun if a group of passengers got in such a person's face....while still on the tarmac.

[Mr.Bill]

10. I've never flown on a foreign carrier.

How are they different with regards to this subject?

[stollen]

15. On Lufthansa, for example, I doubt anyone would pull this schtick.

Germans demand punctuality and loathe inconsiderateness at their expense. The police would react quickly and efficiently. The behavior isn't part of Germany's DNA, and for an American to behave this way....it just wouldn't be tolerated, and any American passenger would sense that and not attempt.

On a Japanese flight, no chance. The Code of Ethics and Honor is just too strong.

On an Irish, English, or Scottish flight, you'd probably get the crap beating out of you and thrown down the steps with a series of expletives shouted at you.

Same for an Australian flight. I saw an Australian berate an attendant about the condition of the bathrooms. "If I'd known the toilets would be this bad, I would have brought my wellies!!"

[Mr.Bill]

16. Okay I can see that.

It's not so much the carrier, but the people acting differently. It's no secret that Americans are the assholes of the world. Been that way all my life.

[Ace Rothstein]

5. COVID really seemed to accelerate this kind of public behavior for some reason.

[Mr.Bill]

9. That brings up the other common denominator in these incidents.

Refusing to wear a mask. Combine that with someone who gets violent when drunk and someone is telling them to do something they don't want to do and there you go.

[young_at_heart]

14. 100% Trump.....he's guilty

of honing in on "the dark side" and those of us who are naughty or angry adult children found a kindred spirit. Pandora's box can't be locked up again.....at least, not for awhile!