Flight of Fancy podcast: Air rage - why do we get so angry on planes?

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 6 years ago

Flight of Fancy podcast: Air rage - why do we get so angry on planes?

By Ben Groundwater
Updated
What is it about flying that makes people so angry?

What is it about flying that makes people so angry?Credit: iStock

To subscribe to the Traveller.com.au podcast Flight of Fancy on iTunes, click here.

There's something about the experience of flying that tends to get people worked up. They get in a state. Some travellers get nervous when they fly, some get apprehensive… And some get angry. Really angry.

That's why we have air rage. It's a thing, a phenomenon common enough to have its own name. It's the unreasonable anger that only seems to strike people when they're travelling on planes. People get mad in the air, they get steamed up over seats being reclined and armrests being hogged and hosties not plying them with the correct amount of alcohol.

Why is everyone so angry? What is there to really be upset about?

On this episode of Flight of Fancy, host Ben Groundwater and his panel are talking about air rage: the tendency for people to get mad on planes, far madder than they normally would, sometimes for the most ridiculous of reasons.

Ben and traveller.com.au writers Ute Junker and Michael Gebicki take a look at what causes air rage and how the airlines handle it, and try to figure out what excuse there could possibly be for cracking the sads while you're flying on an aeroplane to another part of the world.

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter

The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading