5 Types Of Passengers You’ll See On Every Plane

When you work in the travel industry, you’ll have an opportunity to meet thousands upon thousands of interesting people. You’ll find yourself making friends, creating memories, and refining your social skills as you connect with all sorts of travelers that are headed on their own unique journey.

Every passenger has their own fascinating story and intriguing character. But some of your passengers are going to show some similar characteristics, and on almost every one of your flights, you’re likely to run into the following types of people.

Passenger Types on Every Flight

1. The “Woo!”-ers – The “Woo!”ers are going to be your most excited passengers, deriving their name from their tendency to yell “woo!” in group with their friends. Whether taking a long trip to Las Vegas or embarking on their first vacation to Indonesia, you’ll hear them in group doing a lot of “Woo!” sounds both taking off, landing, and occasionally when the cabin isn’t quiet.
2. The Disaster Thinkers – The disaster thinkers are generally afraid of flying. They’ll often grab their seat and ask you about the noises in the cabin, or you’ll see them shaking, looking around, or otherwise holding their chest as they try to handle their fear of planes. These are the assengers that benefit from the most reassurance and kindness, and will be the most grateful upon landing.
3. The Grumps – Not every passenger is going to be overjoyed, and so you have the Grumps: the passengers that don’t necessarily seem pleased to be there, or pleased to get where they’re going. Yet even the Grumps are their own fun, unique people, and you’ll often find that the cause of their emotion is understandable, like being forced to travel because of a lost relative.
4. The Polite Empathizers – Your favorite passengers are going to be the polite empathizers. They are going to frequently thank you for the hard work that you do, try to start conversation, and empathize with any stresses or frustrations you may have. If you do have a bad day, they’ll be the ones that pick you up and help you feel like it’s all going to be okay.
5. The Travel Buffs – Finally, the travel buffs are those that travel so often, they are completely unfazed by the experience. They know what they need, they don’t flinch in turbulence, and they get on and leave with a smile. They often have the best stories as well, and can recommend places for you to visit in the location they’re headed to.

Make Friends and Love Your Career

One of the best parts of working in travel is meeting all of these interesting people. From the most excited to the most grumpy, everyone still has a personality and character that will make your job even more fulfilling. It’s not just about travel – it’s also about meeting some of the world’s most interesting people. That is what makes a travel job so worthwhile.