Air travel tends to generate more annoyances than train travel.

Is it the smaller space than in the train or the atmospheric pressure that affects the mood of plane travelers? Because in the air, vacationers seem less open to conciliation. Communication seems in fact much more engaging in a train than in a cabin, when we compare the studies that have just been conducted on the subject of annoying behavior in these two types of transport. For a traveler who has chosen the air, there is nothing more restrictive than a neighbor who feels obliged to make conversation. This is the third behavior that makes a French person most irascible (34%), according to a survey conducted by the online travel agent Opodo*.

But when you stay on the rails, Europeans are more open to discussion. No less than 55% of French people admit to having already chatted with a complete stranger, as do 42% of Italians. Moreover, according to the results of this Trainline** survey carried out by YouGov, 46% do not see what the problem would be in talking to passengers they do not know. Communication would even be one of the advantages of train travel for some: 23% of French people admit to deploring the lack of exchanges between passengers.

On the train or on the plane, politeness above all!

However, not everything is allowed on the rails, not even putting your feet on the seat of the passenger in front. 37% of Italian passengers and as many Spanish people say they are particularly annoyed by this kind of situation, as do 87% of French people who take the plane, according to a study by the comparison site Kayak.fr***. The latter admit that a neighbor who thinks he is allowed to lean on the shoulder of a stranger is particularly annoying, as are passengers who encroach on the space of others by spreading their legs (92%).

Since travel conditions are logically different, there are also behaviors that can be unpleasant on the train, and that are not found in the air. Take meals for example. (Almost) everyone is on the same diet on a plane, whereas on a train everyone can choose their menu, which in some cases leads to the production of sometimes very odorous smells. Hello Camembert sandwich… 34% of French people hate it when they smell food that smells too strong on a train, or worse when the neighbor makes a lot of noise while eating!

Similarly, since the phone does not have an internet connection on the plane (except in the case of access provided by the airline of course), its use on the train can lead to more exasperating moments. Only 8% of Spaniards accept that a traveler listens to music or watches a video without headphones. Also, 43% of English people see no harm in picking up the phone while they are comfortably seated in their seat on the train.

Conversely, in the air, the smartphone can be annoying when it is perceived as a danger. Because 27% of Spaniards admit to being panicked when a neighbor taps on his phone during takeoff or landing. The Italians for their part (26%) go so far as to warn the crew when this situation arises…

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