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Number one annoyance? Reclining seats

February 9, 2007

What’s the biggest annoyance for air travelers? If you guessed cranky flight attendants, chatty seatmates or delayed flights, you guessed wrong.

It’s reclining seats, according to a survey by Australian travel agency TotalTravel.com.

It was followed by screaming kids, passengers with bad body odor, and people who kick your seats.

These are annoyances I’ve covered in the past. Screaming kids was a hot topic just a few weeks ago.

Body odor? One of my favorite Crabby Traveler columns on ABCNews.com.

Seat kickers? A classic.

Problem is, while these annoyances are easy to define — and fun to complain about — there’s very little that can actually be done about them.

As long as people travel, and as long as airlines try to wedge as many passengers on the plane as possible, this is going to continue.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

1 comment

  • Rachel

    This is becoming so big a complaint that there’s a company that invented called a Knee Defender, which is designed so that the person in front of you can’t fully recline.

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