I’m a psychologist – here is why passengers are so annoying on planes

A PSYCHOLOGIST has revealed why some people cannot help being annoying on planes, even if they know how much they’re irritating other people.

There’s plenty of things people do on planes that wind up others, with bare feet, reclined seats and open window blinds all among the biggest bugbears.

However, there’s another bad habit even higher up on the list – passengers standing in the aisle before the plane has come to a stop and the doors have opened.

It’s an act hated by a lot of people and frequent flyer Stephanie Miller, recently described the act as the “absolute worst”.

The subject came up when she was discussing plane etiquette on podcast Kicpod, which she hosts with fellow model Laura Henshaw.

She said: “There is one thing that people do on the aeroplane that is the absolute worst.

“And the first thing everyone does is stand up.

“I’m sorry but if you stand up and you realise everyone else is just standing there and the lines are going nowhere for 15 minutes, sit back down.”

However, the people who do it may be compelled by more than just a desire to get off the plane first.

Gaynor Parkin, a registered clinical psychologist and CEO of Umbrella Wellbeing.

In a recent article for Stuff.co.nz she revealed the reasons why people feel the need to stand up as soon as the plane has landed, even though they know it’s unlikely to get them out of the airport any sooner.

She said that it was the feeling of actively doing something that often led to them standing up early and that sitting and waiting can feel like a waste of time.

She said: “You always want to go on to the next thing… you want to get off and get on with the day.”

However, there are also passengers for whom a plane cabin is a stressful environment, which can even lead to panic attacks.

Gaynor explained that those people stand up because they feel like they need to get off the plane sooner.

She continued: “Working as a psychologist for the last 30 years, I know plane phobias and people having panic attacks when they’re in crowded places is really common.”

There is also a third group of people who feel the need to stand as soon as they land and they are the ones who most people dislike – the entitled people.

Gaynor said that sometimes, passengers just believe that they should be let off the plane first and so act accordingly.

She said: “They think, ‘I’m special, I should get to get off first’.”

Meanwhile, a pilot explained how to always get off planes first.

And this sneaky trick can make your bag arrive first on the carousel.