Being stranded at the airport is like finding out that the thesis you worked on for ten weeks was on the wrong subject. This helpless, furious feeling that sits in your stomach like a bad apple. Once, I had to stay at the airport for 12 hours, and it was extremely frustrating at the time. My hands clench up whenever I think about it. The airport was practically empty, which made it a little less worse because there was less commotion, but it still wasn't a pleasant experience that I like to loo…

We don't think you can top these tales of airport madness . But you're welcome to try! If you work in the airline industry , or you're just a frequent flyer, you're going to witness some crazy moments eventually. From a grandma accidentally smuggling scissors through security, to an escaped pup running around the tarmac, these people have seen some things. Nothing crazy has ever happened to me at the airport, except the time I waited in the security line for three full hours, which was excrucia…

Nothing will stop a determined traveller from bringing along all of their belongings. Every friend group has people who under-pack for trips. They're the ones always asking to borrow a phone charger or a pair of socks, because they packed at the very last minute. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, are the over-packers. They want to bring three suitcases for a weekend trip; they're the one who needs to pay extra on the flight so that they can get all their bags back home. Your over-packer f…

You'd think finding your seat on an airplane would be one of the easiest parts of the flight. Airlines are pretty specific about that. Unlike concerts or some movie theaters where you can sit in one general area, when you fly, you choose your own seat. For those who get plane-sick, there are window seats; for those who want to stretch their legs out and move around, there are aisle seats . No one wants the middle seats, naturally. You can't just waltz onto an aircraft and sit where ever you wan…

Having kids is the greatest joy one could experience, or so any new parent will tell you, despite that they haven't slept since the night before they became parents, and the bags under their eyes tell a different story. In fact, it's more than likely that this entire sentiment is really just a combination of sleep deprivation-fueled delusion and resigned coping with the fact that there's no going back.

There are certain places where you can see the full range of the human experience, warts and all: the subway, the DMV, and, of course, the airport. We have all had memorable experiences waiting in the security line, sitting at the gate, or being stuck on the tarmac for hours on end. Those memories are seared into our brains forever and inform every insecurity we'll have the next time we travel. Most of the time, however, what we experience at airports is completely outside of our control. Becau…

Restrictive policies are often written with a singular use case in mind, with the authoring manager's short-sighted and horse-blinded perspective generally resulting in the policy not being as cost-saving as intended in the first place and leaving ample opportunity for loopholes and malicious compliance.

Sometimes humans can be bros. It's not very often that we meet genuinely amazing strangers out in public, but sometimes, in the most wholesome moments, our faith in humanity is restored. Usually we don't expect those moments when we're anywhere near our local airport, but apparently people can surprise us.

If you've been around the airport block a few times, you know we've all had our fair share of airport drama. It could be your bag playing a game of "almost too heavy," a little extra TLC from TSA during security checks, or navigating those airports that need a freakin' tram to get from one end to the other. And let's not even start on the nightmare of flight delays – we've all been there. But the real wildcard at the airport is the mix of folks you'll encounter on any given day. I'm talking abo…

The full range of human decency (and lack thereof) is on display at the airport security line. When you are stuck in a seemingly endless and motionless security line, it's increasingly hard to remember that patience is a virtue. It's far easier to roll your eyes and complain that you have the worst luck of anyone you know, which of course is not true considering that hundreds of other people are stuck in the same exact line. In short, it's easy to forget that other people are dealing with the s…

Air travel creates opportunities for some interesting social interactions that you wouldn't find elsewhere in life. Part of that is people tend to be pretty stressed out, even long before they actually manage to get seated on the flight. What with waking up early to get to the airport with ample time with ample anxiety owing to the uncertainty of queue times that can range from mere minutes to hours depending on the day… Following, you have to get undressed for security, parting your belongings…

Throughout the course of the working week, you spend roughly 40 hours in the presence of your coworkers . This can be an incredible way to form tight bonds with other like-minded individuals. Throughout your adult life, it's more likely you'll make friends at work than from any other place, unsurprising given you're often spending more time with them than with your own family. But while you'll make some friends, it's more than likely that you'll be spending a lot of time with people who grind y…

It takes a special kind of person to disturb others on a flight. If it happens just once, of course, we let it slide. If it happens twice, we exchange glares to let that person know they need to get their act together. If it happens thrice or even more times, it's time to confront them or, at the very least, give them a taste of their own medicine. This thread was posted to Reddit's r/pettyrevenge subreddit by u/IndependentClub1117 , who was unfortunately seated directly in front of a Kevin. Th…

Who deserves the aisle seat while flying? The answer is the person who paid for it… usually. However, this anxious flyer got asked to give up their seat for a different one, and they weren't happy about how the interaction played out. If you get anxious while flying, you're not alone. It's like an endurance test, with one stressful situation after another. First you have to book your trip, which is usually simple enough. But on the day of your flight, you have to get to the airport with several…

There are two kinds of flights: decent ones and flightmares. If you're someone who genuinely enjoys getting on a plane, you're probably kidding yourself or perhaps you didn't have to pay for your own ticket. Now, if I seem jaded or pessimistic about all of this, let's be clear about a couple of things: (1) without fail, I am always in the last boarding group; it doesn't matter how much I have paid for these tickets because this always happens to be the case; (2) I am also always seated next to…

This flight attendant had an interesting way of keeping her passengers from tiring her out. Being a flight attendant is a job that's often glorified. Flight attendants can travel anywhere in the world with their job. And how hard could it be to serve people chips and sodas? Pretty hard, as it turns out, thanks to passengers who don't respect flight attendants and treat them like they're just there to serve the almighty passenger. There's a specific order that flight attendants have to do their…