Expedia shows us the worst airplane behaviour, according to Canadians

Expedia released the results of its annual 2018 Airplane and Hotel Etiquette Study, polling more than 18,000 global respondents to reveal Canadians are quite particular when they travel, with a wide range of quirks and behaviours jeopardising their holiday happiness.

The 2018 Airplane and Hotel Etiquette Study found Canadians almost universally agree that being bare foot is a flying no-go (96 per cent), it's ok to wake a fellow passenger who is snoring (46 per cent) – this was highest amongst Quebecers (56 per cent) – and hotel bed bugs are extremely annoying (80 per cent).

"The average Canadian takes three flights and spends twelve nights in a hotel per year, so it's not surprising airplane and hotel etiquette is a topic of hot debate," said Jennifer Callegaro, head of brand marketing for Expedia brand in Canada. "Our data shines a light on the sometimes small, yet impactful actions travellers can take to improve the journey for others around them – especially within such close quarters."

Bad behaviour on board

Fellow passengers play a big role when it comes to the in-flight experience, and Canadians are firm on what they can't handle:

• Hands down, the 'seat kicker/bumper/grabber' is the most annoying passenger on a flight; according to more than half of Canadians (53 per cent). In fact, this led world-wide.
• The 'aromatic' passenger ranks second (48 per cent). This is the individual that exhibits poor hygiene or is in some way giving off a strong scent.
• Coming in third is the 'inattentive parent' (41 per cent).

Annoying hotel guests

A night in a hotel can turn into a nightmare pretty quickly, according to the Canadians who found these three types of hotel guests especially intolerable:

• The 'hallway hellraiser' (47 per cent) running up and down the halls.
• The 'inattentive parent' (46 per cent) with kids getting up to mischief.
• The 'in-room reveler' (45 per cent) bringing the party back to the hotel for the night.

Peace and quiet, please

Whether in flight or in bed, Canadians are looking for peace and quiet. It turns out Canadians don't talk to their neighbours – nearly 90 per cent prefer to keep to themselves during the flight, especially those from the Prairies (94 per cent).

Those in the Atlantic provinces (74 per cent) are the least likely to keep to themselves. On a global scale on average just over 80 per cent of travellers felt this sentiment, demonstrating that contrary to stereotypes, Canadians may not be as friendly on board a plane as travellers might expect them to be. Instead of chatting, Canadians prefer to watch movies (81 per cent); read (70 per cent) and sleep (69 per cent). And when it comes to a hotel stay, these preferences continue, with half of Canadians using the privacy indicator to prevent hotel staff from entering the room.

Regional travel preferences & peeves

• Most Canadians prefer the window seat (62 per cent), with nearly a quarter of passengers happy to take the leap and climb over the seat with their back to their fellow sleeping neighbour. Almost 40 per cent of Canadians said they would wake the individual and ask them to move.
• Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) would notify airline staff on the plane if a fellow passenger were misbehaving. Regionally, residents from British Columbia and Ontario would be most likely to report bad behaviour (66 per cent).
• Residents from the Atlantic provinces are most likely (32 per cent) to ask another traveller to switch seats so that they could sit with their travel buddy.
• When it comes to being intimate on board, the provinces are divided. A whopping 78 per cent of those living in the Prairies said they would never be intimate with a travel companion or someone they just met on a flight, but interestingly only 67 per cent of those in Quebec had such reservations.

Perks rule

Perks and amenities were also top of mind for Canadians, whether on a plane or at a hotel:

• Almost eighty per cent (77 per cent) of Canadians agree free beverages, snacks and checked bags on a flight are of high importance.
• When booking a hotel room, the number one reason to choose a property is the inclusion of complimentary Wi-Fi (72 per cent), with price coming in a close second (71 per cent).

The planning process

Leading up to a trip, Canadians have preferences and tendencies when it comes to planning:

• Over half tend to book accommodation at big chain hotels (53 per cent)
• The majority of travellers check-in online in advance for a flight (53 per cent)
• Only 20 per cent will use a boarding pass on a mobile device only, with more than half continuing to print a copy (53 per cent)
• Over 40 per cent of Canadians simultaneously book a flight and hotel together as a package, a great way to make your dollar go the furthest.