The 7 Most Controversial Travel Opinions

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected].

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Armrest allocation, clapping when the plane lands, and using the recline button—these controversial travel topics are guaranteed to start a full-on debate between frequent flyers.

Are you in agreement or are you misaligned with most of the traveling public? Travel site Kayak conducted a poll of the most hotly debated travel opinions to determine the Unspoken Rules of Air Travel.

Here’s what the survey found:

Cutting the Line Is Ok

About to miss your flight? According to Kayak’s survey, 57 percent of travelers will have sympathy for you (and will let you cut the line) if it’s the difference between making it to the gate in time or being left stranded.

Unattended Children Should Be Banned

Letting your kids run around the airport (or plane) freely in the hopes they’ll burn off some energy? 90 percent of respondents ask that you rein them in, voting that children shouldn’t be left unattended during travel.

Don’t Stand on the Moving Sidewalk

Moving sidewalk at airport — kalafoto | Adobe Stock

If your personal pet peeve is people who ride the moving sidewalks at the airport (rather than walking on it), you’re not alone—57 percent of travelers feel the same way.

Just remember, moving sidewalks are a huge help to people with mobility issues—so try to extend some grace and patience when travelers aren’t walking on them.

Clapping When the Plane Lands Is Annoying

Your fellow passengers ask you to hold your applause when the plane touches down. A close margin of 51 percent of flyers thinks this measure of appreciation is “pointless” because the pilots can’t hear you.

The Middle Seat Doesn’t Get Both Armrests

Close up of person resting arms on armrest in the middle seat of an airplane row — Chalabala | Adobe Stock

A surprising 57 percent of passengers have no sympathy for the person stuck in the middle seat, saying the armrests are up for anyone to grab.

Reclining Your Seat is Acceptable

Go ahead and lean back (just please, do it the right way) next time you fly. A vast majority (88 percent) believe that the recline button is offered for a reason.

Leave Your Socks On

Close up of woman in socks putting her feet up on a row of airplane seats — milkovasa | Adobe Stock

Fellow flyers don’t want to see (or smell) your bare feet. Seventy-six percent of passengers voted that people should keep their socks on during a flight.

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