10 Stories About Rude and Entitled Plane Passengers Who Were Taught a Lesson

While many of us eagerly anticipate our trips to the airport, especially when it’s time for a vacation, not everyone enjoys a pleasant experience once they board their flight.

The passengers featured in this compilation had their journeys marred by fellow travelers who displayed inexplicable rudeness. The silver lining? Witnessing how karma swiftly intervened to put these inconsiderate individuals in their place.

1. The Not-So-Kind First Class Passenger

I once got stuck in Newark for 22 hours (!) after our plane for my flight had a major issue… Finally, when we were about to board the new plane, the flight attendant announced they’d let people with additional needs and families with kids board first.

This business guy, super angry, rushes to the front and starts yelling, saying it’s DISGUSTING that he lost a day because of their INCOMPETENCE and now has to WAIT longer, even though he’s a first-class passenger. But the flight attendant was awesome.

Without missing a beat, she smiled and nodded, saying she’d let him go first. Then, she leaned into her mic and told the waiting passengers that this gentleman needed to board before all the people in wheelchairs and the mothers with babies.

At that point, every person standing in line looked at him in disgust while he tried to tell the flight attendant that he didn’t mind waiting. But the flight attendant told him that she couldn’t let others board now because he really needed to go first.

So, that’s how the lady handled the situation perfectly while the rude guy felt embarrassed walking into the airplane.

2. Last to Enter, First to Leave

As the last passengers boarded our NYC to PDX flight, a large, sweaty man rushed in clutching a full-size pizza box.

The overhead bins were closed, but that didn’t stop him from frantically searching for a spot to stash his precious cargo.

When a flight attendant told him he couldn’t store the pizza overhead, he grumbled, “But it’ll get stepped on!” His protests escalated into a heated argument before he finally shoved the box under his seat.

The safety demonstration began, but our pizza aficionado had other plans. He whipped out a flip phone, engaging in a heated debate with his landline provider over a late fee.

That’s when the flight attendant asked him to put his phone away, but he motioned with his hand, asking her to give her a minute.

“No, sir,” she protested. “It needs to be put away NOW.”

He ended the call and dramatically flipped his phone shut. The airplane was heading towards the runway now.

A few minutes later, his frustration manifested in an aggressive stretching routine, complete with dramatic knuckle-cracking. Then, he made an offensive sign at the flight attendant.

He shouldn’t have done that.

Moments later, we were back at the gate. The captain himself appeared, delivering a swift verdict: “Sir, I understand you were harassing my flight attendant. You need to leave the plane now.”

Despite his protests and attempts to gather support from fellow passengers, the pizza man was forced to deplane, leaving behind an empty seat and a collective sigh of relief.

3. When Entitlement Meets Empathy

A tranquil Sacramento to Seattle flight turned chaotic when an inebriated passenger and his family boarded.

Spotting a woman with a service dog in the front row, the man demanded her seat, but she refused to move.

As a result, he hurled her bags into the aisle and attempted to drag the service dog away. The woman began crying and begged for help.

After noticing the commotion, the flight attendants intervened and immediately threatened to remove the man and his family from the airplane. That’s when the man finally stopped and sat in the seat behind the woman.

Though the immediate crisis was averted, the flight remained tense. The man’s wife changed diapers in their seats, stuffing the used ones into seat pockets, while their baby tugged at other passengers’ hair.

Upon landing, the family’s final act of defiance involved shoving a disabled woman aside to retrieve their luggage. The flight attendants ultimately removed them from the airplane, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

4. The Man Who Couldn’t Deal with the Fog

At a bustling airport check-in, a well-dressed businessman threw a spectacular tantrum over a fog-delayed flight.

Screaming and jumping like a toddler, he demanded the airline “do something or ELSE!”

The quick-witted counter agent suggested the man flap his arms outside to disperse the fog. The entire queue erupted in laughter, deflating the businessman’s blustery tirade.

5. Free Drinks for the Snorer

On my maiden flight as an attendant, I faced an irate man complaining about a passenger snoring too loudly behind him. When I offered to relocate him, he refused to move saying he had paid for his seat.

He was yelling so loudly that the snoring passenger eventually woke up. At that point, I wanted to move the snorer to first class, but it was already full. So, I presented the complainer with two options: accept a new seat or continue his tirade. I told him that was all I could do for him.

The cherry on top? I treated the unwitting snorer to complimentary drinks for the remainder of the flight.

6. The Sudden Jerk

I was on an airplane where almost everyone was ignoring the rules.

As our airplane kissed the runway, people immediately left their seats and began taking their bags out of the overhead compartments. Meanwhile, the flight attendants desperately tried to get the people back to their seats, but no one listened to them.

Sensing the pandemonium, our captain executed a sudden stop, toppling the rule-breakers like dominoes. As we finally parked, a flight attendant’s voice rang out: “This is EXACTLY why we have rules!”

7. The Nanny’s Impossible Mission

Years ago, I was on a flight to Utah, about to begin my teen tour.

My excitement suddenly faded when an unexpected announcement crackled through the cabin.

The captain’s voice, tinged with concern, informed us that an engine had failed, necessitating an emergency landing in Chicago. A ripple of worry spread through the passengers, but one woman took center stage in this mid-air drama.

She told the flight attendant that she was a nanny and needed to get to Utah to look after the children.

Perhaps she imagined the pilot would risk all our lives for her noble cause, or that the flight attendant possessed some magical ability to repair engines mid-flight.

Alas, there were no emergency jet packs on board, nor any way to bend the laws of physics and aviation safety. The nanny was told to return to her seat.

8. The Tonka Truck Terror

Back in the mid-90s, I was on a flight where a child with a full-sized metal Tonka truck was running up and down the aisle.

At one point, he smacked my head and almost hit my mother. That’s when I picked up the truck and handed it over to a flight attendant, who refused to return it to the family.

What followed was a game of cat and mouse, with the family letting the boy loose whenever they thought they could get away with it.

It took threats of withheld food service and a stern warning from the cockpit to finally corral the child into his seat, where he howled his displeasure to the heavens.

As the plane landed, the boy ran again, and his family was unaware of what was waiting for them at the airport. While the airplane taxied to the gate, the captain announced that only families with kids would be allowed to leave first.

I watched as the troublemakers smirked their way down the aisle. Then, as we entered the airport, we were greeted by the sweet sound of justice. The screaming child was in the arms of a police officer, while his family stood by in handcuffs.

9. Three Warnings and He Was Out

I was on a flight where a passenger who was sitting a couple of rows ahead aggressively asked the flight attendant for alcohol.

The plane was yet to taxi at that point, but his demands grew more insistent with each passing minute.

The flight attendants warned him twice, but he didn’t care. As we finally began to push back from the gate, the senior attendant gave him a final warning, only to be met with a string of expletives as she turned away.

That’s when she turned back and told him they were going back to the gate to drop him off.

True to her word, our plane returned to the terminal, and we all watched as the troublemaker was escorted off.

The airplane took off 20 minutes later minus one passenger and his luggage.

10. We Paid to Be the First Ones on the Airplane

As a frequent flyer, I was accustomed to the presence of air marshals on board whenever we took a flight to or from DC. On this particular day, they were allowed to board earlier than usual.

As the passengers began to enter, an older couple wasn’t too happy to see the air marshals. The woman demanded to know who these men were and why were they allowed to board before them. Meanwhile, her husband claimed he had paid extra to be the first ones to enter the airplane.

At that point, I intervened to explain that the early boarders were veterans invited by the captain. The effect was instantaneous.

The couple’s righteous indignation deflated like a punctured balloon, leaving them silent and, hopefully, a little more humble for the remainder of the flight.

These stories remind us that kindness and consideration go a long way, especially in the confined spaces of air travel. Do you agree?

Have you ever encountered similar situations on your flights? Whether you’ve witnessed entitled behavior or experienced exemplary service, share your stories in the comments section.

If you enjoyed reading this compilation, here’s another one you might like: We’re gathered here today to celebrate… outrageous wedding demands! From pay-per-slice cake to gift lists that rival Christmas, you’ll be grateful your invite got ‘lost.’ Get ready to laugh (and cry) as we dive into 10 weddings where the vows come with a price tag!