Flying generally comes with a whole host of annoyances, from noise to cramped conditions. Even worse, it can often bring out the absolute worst in people, who will inevitably take out their frustration and entitlement on fellow passengers.
One quite tall man ended up bruised and battered when the woman sitting in front of him repeatedly slammed her chair right into him. Despite his protests, she seemed insistent on laying a little more back, whatever the cost. Readers shared their thoughts and we got in touch with the story's author to learn more.
Flying means sitting in close proximity to people who might feel deeply entitled to your space
Image credits: ashiqkhan (not the actual photo)
But one woman’s BF ended up covered in bruises when someone forcibly lowered their seat
Image credits: cyplexaurone (not the actual photo)
Image source: CRISPRcassie9
OP gave some more thoughts and details
Image credits: Exodus528 (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda got in touch with CRISPRcassie9 who shared the story about her boyfriend's rather horrible flight and she was kind enough to share some additional details with us. Naturally, we were curious to hear if they had any updates or additional details to share since this experience.
“No updates since the story was shared, besides my boyfriend laughing at those who called him a doormat for not making a bigger fuss. People who are 6'4'' could easily be construed as threatening a young woman, and it simply wasn't worth the risk for him,” she shared, which does seem like a valid concern, particularly on a flight.
Frequent fliers have no doubt encountered their own strange plane companies, so we wanted to hear CRISPRcassie9’s take on what can make flying so insufferable. “I think people have a level of anonymity on planes that gives them a sense of power. It's just like the internet; if you know you'll never see someone again, you have no problem being brutally rude to them,” she shared with Bored Panda.
Some people can’t handle the stress of flying and make it everyone’s problem
Image credits: Ricardo Oliveira (not the actual photo)
“I think people hate giving up their freedom (perhaps more so in the United States, which is where I have the most experience flying). When they have few choices, they just get cranky and entitled. But it really is interesting, because flights are such a unique slice of humanity. Airplanes are the ultimate place to people-watch, and it would be a lie to say I don't enjoy being a fly on the wall in people's lives (when they aren't antagonizing my boyfriend).”
It is true that the trials and tribulations of flying can often lead to outright “air rage.” While OP’s BF’s experience was more with a petty passenger, in some cases tensions get so high that flights have to be diverted. Fortunately, perhaps for this woman, OP’s boyfriend decided not to escalate.
Not everyone is as chill and gentle as the man being repeatedly bashed in this story
OP herself thought this was humorous. “I'd just like to add that my boyfriend has more restraint than I did, and I'm proud of him for keeping his cool. If it was me getting repeatedly slammed with the seat, it would've been a very different Reddit post,” she shared. Perhaps if it was her, we wouldn’t have heard about this story in a Reddit post, but another news story about an in-flight fight.
Fortunately, while air rage and general unpleasantness can and will happen from time to time, it would be an exaggeration to say that every flight is a battle waiting to happen. We asked OP if she had any similar stories and, thankfully, the answer was negative. “No other stories from people on planes. This was such a bizarre and unique experience for us, which led me to post it on Reddit.”
She also left us with some parting thoughts about the comments, some of which can be found below. “I'm surprised at the animosity the commenters felt about the hair flipping. Somehow, that was much more anger-inducing for commenters than the fact that my boyfriend was physically hurt by the chair,” she shared with Bored Panda.
Readers requested more information in the comments
People thought the female passenger was being rediculous
Some even suggested how they would have gotten revenge
