Why do we care so much about what people do on planes?

Once you step onto an aircraft, actions that wouldn’t normally raise an eyebrow are subject to microscopic scrutiny, writes Helen Coffey

Of late, the hot topic is all about in-flight etiquette (Reuters)

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the last eight or so years in travel journalism, it’s that people have Very Strong Opinions when it comes to anything to do with behaviour on flights.

Maybe it’s the cramped conditions on those tin cans with wings; maybe it’s the fact that you’re stuck there with no escape at 35,000ft; maybe it’s because the broad spectrum of flyers means every plane cabin is a microcosm of sorts – once you step onto an aircraft, actions that wouldn’t normally raise an eyebrow are subject to microscopic scrutiny.

As an editor, you quickly notice trends in the type of stories that pique readers’ interest; the ones that spark engagement and passionate debate whenever we cover them. And they’re not always the issues you might expect.

Forget passengers throwing punches on flights or screaming at cabin crew while three sheets to the wind. Of late, the hot topic is all about in-flight etiquette – and, more specifically, whether it’s OK to ask people to swap seats with you on a plane.

There have been three such stories this week alone, all with a different twist on the topic. In one, a five-year-old boy was reportedly left in tears after an IT glitch meant his pre-booked window seat has been given to another passenger (who refused to move). Next up, a grieving women who was flying home after the sudden death of her father was told to move from her row with extra room because parents with a baby wanted to sit there.

Finally, in a totally fresh take, one man reported the opposite: his booked middle seat was between two parents and their baby, and the father refused to swap with him to be next to his partner and child (this last one giving delicious James Corden energy... if the rumours are to be believed).

Sure, whatever the context, this kind of thing can be annoying – whether you’re the person who’s been asked to swap or the person doing the asking. There’s normally a good reason why someone does or doesn’t want to move.

But there’s something about the context – an aircraft cabin – that exacerbates emotions, even for the people just reading about it. The sheer strength of feeling that these cases prompt online nearly always feels disproportionate to the alleged “crime”. Take another story, of a woman sharing a picture on Reddit accusing her male neighbour on a recent flight of “manspreading”.

Her original post isn’t particularly inflammatory – she’s not calling the man in question any names, simply sharing the photo, which clearly shows his legs encroaching on her space. But the commenters seem far more angry than she is, whether they’re on her side and calling him the rudest guy on the planet, or sticking up for him and saying that people really don’t understand what it’s like to be a tall man on a plane in this day and age.

I don’t want to sound all calm down, dear, and everyone loves a good plane debate, The Independent’s travel team included. I suppose what I’m trying to say is this – the world already feels like an increasingly dark and dangerous place.

Travel is sometimes one of the few bright spots, broadening horizons, offering us a chance to see the world. Perhaps we could try to remember that, leave the judgement at home, and be a little kinder on the journey.

Yours,

Helen Coffey

Travel editor