If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, chances are you’ve probably had some interesting encounters with other passengers. For some unknown reason, it seems like people tend to leave their manners behind when they board a plane and instead choose to act however they please. Some people have been known to hog the shared armrest or take someone else’s seat that they paid for. The list of frustrating plane experiences goes on.
When food blogger Julie Christensen boarded her Aegean Airlines flight from Athens to Amsterdam in September 2022, she had a unique experience with the passenger sitting directly in front of her. The woman draped her long hair over the back of her seat, prompting Christensen to film the ordeal and post it online.
Christensen posted the video on TikTok with the text layover: “I wish this was staged.” She captioned the post, “The joy of traveling.” The food blogger seemed to have a sense of humor about it and wrote in the comments, “Hair plane mode activated!”
Christensen spoke with Fox News Digital and explained that the woman seated in front of her left her hair over the seat for almost the entire flight. The woman’s long locks touched Christensen’s tray table and almost touched the top of the food blogger’s coffee cup.
“I was like, ‘Is this normal?’” Christensen said.
The video was only a few short seconds long, but it sparked a conversation about travel etiquette. Many people left their thoughts in the comment section, with others weighing in on the polite and kind way to handle tricky travel situations like this.
Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video
Christensen told Fox News Digital she was too tired to confront the woman, but since she found her behavior odd, she decided to film the ordeal.
“She had beautiful, newly washed hair and I would never throw my newly washed hair around in an airplane,” Christensen said. “I think it’s very weird.”
However, it “didn’t bother” her too much as she had some extra legroom. Still, Christensen posted the video on TikTok, prompting a heated conversation about travel etiquette. One person commented, “Close your table and let her try and move.” Another said, “Some people have no consideration.” Another person remarked, “I’m too petty to let that slide.”
Christensen wasn’t as phased, though. “People get fired up because it’s a very rude thing to do,” she said. “Maybe other people would’ve reacted differently or even aggressively to this, but, for me — I’m used to it.” She added, “I just found it really cute and funny.”
Etiquette expert and former flight attendant Jacqueline Whitmore spoke on how important it is to approach these situations with kindness. “Anything can be handled if you say it kindly,” she said. Whitmore suggested that people first try to speak with their fellow passengers, but if that doesn’t work, then they should reach out to a flight attendant for help.
Whitmore also encouraged people to be mindful of their own behaviors and how not everyone may find them acceptable. She said:
“Make sure you pack your manners and be aware of your surroundings. And be aware of how the behavior of your children affects other people as well.”
The etiquette expert added, “And often, things that happen on a plane are situational. What might be acceptable for you as a passenger might not be acceptable for me.”
What would you do if you were in this situation? Have you ever had a bad plane experience? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.
