Top states with the worst-behaved travelers – Texas is #4, and which generation commits the most ‘naughty’ behaviors
IF you've felt that travel etiquette has taken a nosedive in the last few years, you're not alone.
Solitaire Bliss, an online solitaire game company, recently conducted a survey of 2,002 Americans and over 78% of them felt the same way.
While the reason is unclear, many, including pop stars, have noticed a decline in public behaviors, such as concert etiquette, since the pandemic.
When it comes to flying, Solitaire Bliss confirmed that the state you're flying out of may have a huge impact on your travel experience.
"We surveyed residents in every state and asked a variety of questions regarding the behaviors they are guilty of, the habits they have witnessed, the airlines they associate with these behaviors, and more," the site explained.
The most common "naughty" behaviors that travelers see include people putting their bags on terminal seats, reclining their seats without asking for permission on the plane, and neglecting to put phones on airplane mode.
Read More on Travel
The fourth most common shamed-upon behavior, which 1 in 3 responders admitted to committing, is passing gas on the plane.
The survey found that the "naughtiest" states were Iowa, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, and Georgia, which clinched the top five spots on the list, respectively.
The most "polite" states include Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Ohio, and Kansas, which all scored under 65 on a "Naughty Travel Habits" scale of 0 to 100.
Iowa, the naughtiest state, was the only state to score above 90, at a whopping 94.29.
Most read in Travel
"Leading the way is Iowa with a naughty travel habits score of 94.29 out of 100," the site said.
"When it comes to poor travel habits, Iowa residents are most likely to put bags on seats in the terminal and pass gas in their seats or the cabin of a plane."
Each state also struggled with different naughty behaviors.
"Coming in second with a score of 89.81 is Illinois, where 1 in 4 residents admit to ignoring seatbelt signs while flying," Solitaire Bliss said.
"In third place is Virginia, with a score of 88.85 out of 100. While flying, Virginians’ top bad habits include putting bags on seats in the terminal, not putting phones on airplane mode, and reclining seats without asking."
While the study doesn't serve as a blanket statement for everyone (there can, obviously, be ill-behaved travelers everywhere), results of the study also found that, in general, members of Gen Z and men are the most likely to commit naughty travel behaviors.
While plenty of honest survey respondents admitted to their flying behaviors, the study also found that more people said they witnessed rude acts rather than committed them.
One in two travelers said they smelled others wearing too strong cologne or perfume, while only 8% of people admitted to wearing strong fragrances.
"Perhaps this is a case where some travelers are simply unaware of the impact they have on others," the site said on the discrepancy.
"To them, their scents seem appropriate, while others find it overwhelming.
Read More on The US Sun
"This is similar to drinking too much and having body odor from not showering, with more people experiencing it than reporting doing it themselves."
Respondents also felt that rude acts were more likely to surface on specific airlines, with Americans tending to associate Spirit Airlines with the behaviors.