8 things lower-middle-class people do on the plane that others inwardly cringe at

Let’s be real: flying is stressful for everyone.

Delays, overpriced snacks, the guy next to you who somehow brought a tuna sandwich into a pressurized cabin—it’s not exactly glamorous.

But within this floating petri dish of humanity, there are behaviors that signal class, comfort level, and culture.

None of them are inherently “bad,” but they tend to draw side-eyes and stifled sighs from other passengers.

Here are eight things lower-middle-class people often do on planes that make everyone else squirm a little.

1. Bringing fast food on board

There’s a difference between sneaking in a granola bar and marching onto a cramped aircraft with a sack of McDonald’s that smells like a fryer exploded.

For many lower-middle-class travelers, grabbing food at the terminal feels like a budget hack—it’s way cheaper than $17 airport salads.

But once on board, the smell hits everyone like a wall: fries cooling in recycled air, ketchup packets crinkling, the unmistakable tang of pickles.

Other passengers do that silent wince-smile, pretending it doesn’t bother them.

But you can see it in their eyes: Do I have to breathe in Big Mac fumes for the next four hours?

2. Overstuffing the overhead bin

The carry-on game has become gladiatorial.

Airlines charge for checked bags, so everyone crams their worldly possessions into “personal items” that are clearly not personal.

Lower-middle-class flyers—trying to dodge the fees—often roll up with duffels, shopping bags, backpacks, and an “emotional support pillow” the size of a toddler.

Cue the inevitable struggle: shoving, rearranging, sighing dramatically, and then glaring at anyone who dares suggest checking the bag.

Meanwhile, the line behind them is frozen, other passengers doing the inward cringe shuffle, pretending to check their phones while silently narrating: That bag is never going to fit.

3. Loudly celebrating small luxuries

Nothing wrong with enjoying the ride. But sometimes enthusiasm comes out in ways that feel a little… extra.

“Oh my god, free soda!” “Look at all this legroom!” “They gave me peanuts!” These outbursts signal wonder at what seasoned travelers see as bare minimum.

It’s not malicious—it’s joy. But in the hushed, headphone-clad culture of airplane etiquette, joy often reads as disruption.

Other passengers do that quick eyebrow raise, like: Yes, Karen, we all got pretzels. Please whisper your gratitude.

4. Watching videos without headphones

It’s the ultimate in unspoken airplane sins. Pulling out a phone, blasting TikTok or a soap opera on full volume, and letting the cabin share in the drama.

For lower-middle-class passengers, it can feel like a non-issue—public spaces at home might be loud and communal, so why not here?

But in the church-like silence of a plane, every laugh track or ringtone feels like nails on glass.

The cringe is instant. People glance over seats, whisper complaints, and silently beg the flight attendant to intervene.

5. Reclining without warning

Ah, the great seat-recline debate. Some say it’s your right. Others say it’s a war crime.

But the cringe hits harder when someone slams their seat back with zero warning—sending the laptop of the guy behind them clattering or trapping the tray table mid-snack.

It reads as inconsiderate, even if the person just wanted a nap.

Seasoned travelers do the subtle “half-recline and glance back” maneuver. Skipping that step makes people inwardly groan: We’re all cramped. Don’t make it worse.

6. Overengaging with strangers

Planes are a social gray zone.

Small talk is fine. A little banter is charming.

But turning a two-hour flight into an unsolicited TED Talk about your life story?

That’s when the cringe sets in.

Lower-middle-class passengers sometimes lean into this as community-building—sharing vacation plans, family stories, or political takes at full volume.

Meanwhile, the seatmate is nodding politely, their body angled toward the window, earbuds poised but unused.

It’s not that people hate talking—it’s that being cornered in a flying metal tube with no exit ramps feels suffocating.

7. Applauding the landing

Clapping when the wheels hit the runway is one of the most controversial airplane behaviors.

Some see it as charming gratitude. Others see it as corny, even cringey.

For lower-middle-class flyers, it’s often genuine relief: We made it! We didn’t die! But for frequent travelers, it reads like amateur hour.

They cringe, they roll their eyes, but deep down, maybe they envy the raw enthusiasm.

Still, when the smattering of claps starts up, you can practically hear the collective internal groan: Please, let this not catch on row by row.

8. Standing up immediately after landing

The plane taxis to the gate. The seatbelt sign dings. And instantly, the aisle fills with people standing hunched, grabbing bags, jostling to get two feet closer to the exit.

For lower-middle-class travelers, it’s about urgency—get off, get moving, maybe catch a tight connection.

But to everyone else, it looks pointless and chaotic. The doors aren’t even open yet.

Other passengers cringe inwardly at the sight of bodies packed like sardines, necks craned, elbows out.

And yet—half of them will be standing too within 30 seconds, proving the cringe is contagious.

The bigger picture

It’s easy to laugh at these habits, to roll our eyes and chalk them up as “low-class.”

But the truth is, they’re not really about class at all—they’re about comfort, culture, and how different groups navigate stressful spaces.

Lower-middle-class passengers often hack the system because air travel is expensive and alienating.

What looks like faux pas to some is survival to others: eat cheap, dodge fees, celebrate small wins.

And the people cringing?

They’re mostly reacting to their own discomfort—not genuine harm.

Closing thoughts

Airplanes are one of the rare places where class divides collapse into one cramped row of humanity.

Everyone—whether they paid $80 for a budget seat or $800 for business—is breathing the same recycled air.

So yes, these habits make us cringe. But they also remind us that flying is still weird, stressful, and sometimes joyous.

And maybe the real cringe isn’t someone eating fries at 30,000 feet—it’s forgetting we’re all just humans trying to get somewhere.