Ask the pilot

Our undercover captain reveals what it’s like to fly for a living

What are the most irritating things about passengers?

There are two issues I would highlight here. First and foremost are passengers who, having checked in for a flight with luggage and passed through security in a timely manner, manage to arrive at the aircraft late. This is really annoying and frustrating for all concerned, particularly the other passengers who boarded on time and are keen to depart on schedule.

These latecomers cause a significant delay as the process of unloading their luggage for security reasons may have already commenced. On a long-haul flight, this can take 15 to 30 minutes depending on where the bag is loaded on the aircraft.