by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:10 PM ET, Mon August 24, 2026
Viral social media posts showing airline passengers behaving badly have practically become a daily occurrence. And more than a few travelers are taking notice of how bad things are getting.
According to a recent survey of 2,500 U.S. adults conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Points Guy, most Americans believe airplane etiquette has declined. And they blame fellow passengers, not the airlines. Specifically, 42% of those surveyed say airline etiquette has declined.
What exactly is irking travelers most about behavior aboard airplanes these days, you ask? Loud conversations, music or videos without headphones seem to be the biggest pet peeve for 27% of those surveyed.
Separately, 40% of travelers said airlines should ban phone or video calls during flights, while 33% said such a ban would not be necessary.
And what about the age-old annoyance surrounding the passenger in front of you reclining their seat into your lap?
This habit is not that annoying to travelers anymore (insert mystified expression here). In fact, a majority (51%) say it’s perfectly acceptable to recline your seat when flying in economy. However, survey respondents said you should check behind you before hitting the recline button.
Speaking of evolving attitudes, seat-swap requests are also becoming more acceptable: 44% said this is not considered rude.
Turning our attention to deplaning (another one of the most frustrating parts of the travel experience in the economy cabin), it seems nearly two-thirds (65%) say leaving the aircraft row by row from front to back is the proper way to exit an airplane.
Finally, survey respondents do not agree with the long unspoken rule that the middle passenger gets both armrests. Just 11% say this should be the case.
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