Traveling by plane can be a real adventure. Or it can be a real pain in the behind. Your perspective probably depends on a lot of things that you can’t control, from the staff to the weather. But most people can agree on one thing: that flying can be a good source of inspiration for jokes, memes, and comical incidents.
Here at Bored Panda, we love soaring through the clouds in our Panda Plane and we love all the memes that get created by people who fly. So we made this list for anyone and everyone who’s ever soared through the heavens on an airplane and has been to an airport at least once in their lives.
Get your scrolling wheel ready for takeoff, upvote your favorite memes, and be sure to share them with your friends who either love or loathe airports. And if you’ve got any funny or horrible airport and airplane stories, we’d love to hear them, so share them with everyone somewhere in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
Bored Panda talked about air travel and the changing industry to one Redditor who uploaded an incredibly popular airport meme onto Reddit’s r/funny community. The meme was so good that it got over 56,500 upvotes in just 3 days and sparked over 1,100 comments.
According to the Redditor, “nothing beats flight in terms of speed and convenience, so it is understandable that airlines do not need to cater to every need of their customers — we have barely any other travel options available.”
“However, airlines are protected by the law far better than the passengers are. For instance, the airline can downgrade or cancel someone's ticket with no repercussions whatsoever,” they explained. “I've had this happen with United in the US and Lufthansa in the EU, and found no way to be reimbursed the money that I lost on those flights.”
The Reddit user agreed that the quality of air travel has dropped along with the price, however, things aren’t all bad: “The quality goes down with the price, but it's not that bad. I mean, having an option to pay less, understandably, means lower quality of a service. However, when there are no options present, airlines will make you pay up even for the cheapest option. It's all supply and demand.”
According to the Redditor, there is a lot that airlines could do to make travel more comfortable for passengers. “But why would they? Low cost airlines don't really earn much on each basic passenger, so they either have to fill their planes in a sardine-like fashion, or charge more.”
“Do not fly airlines that treat you like cattle. Pay extra, but pay to those who acknowledge your dignity,” they added.
Sometimes, however, the most annoying things you encounter on your aerial adventures are your fellow passengers, not the airlines. CNN has compiled some of the most annoying things that other fliers do that really get on our nerves. Some of them are quite obvious. Others are much rarer.
For example, most of us can get behind the idea that people who compulsively shake their legs have no place on planes, let alone any form of transportation, aside from riding on horses. You know what, I changed my mind—horses don’t deserve leg-shakers either.
People who loudly talk on their smartphones are also unwanted on airplanes: there’s no reason to yell into the receiver that you’ve just landed. Relax. Take a chill pill. Call your loved ones once you’re off the magical flying sky chariot.
One other thing that annoys a lot of travelers is when their companions kick off their shoes and take off their socks; there’s a place for bare feet and it’s not on what essentially is a more aerodynamic bus. You wouldn’t walk around barefooted on a city bus, would you? Reexamine your life if you’ve answered ‘yes’ to that question.
You need to do this so you'll have taken all your liquids out of your luggage and the security people can see what's in them, as opposed to having them rolling around in your luggage and the security people having to open your luggage and rummage through it to find your nasal spray. Saves time for everyone
The limit is not there because the plane can't carry it. The limit is there so that the one who pack your case into cargo won't break their back.
As long as I feel like the guardian of the child is doing whatever they can to keep the child calm I'm fine with that. We were all babies once, some people just have to travel with them, let's be compassionate. (When the adults let the children run around without supervision and bother people that clearly don't want to be bothered - then I see an issue.)
I wouldn't be looking like that. I'd be backing away cuz that's coming back up any second.
My first travel by plane as a young girl.... I had a bag with realy, realy many pockets... In one of them was scissors. My mom and the security spent several minutes until they found one secret pocket in the bottom of the bag, where that scissors was. :D :D
OMG this happened to me too. Decided for some reason to use a purse I hadn't used in like 5 years. Happened to have a TINY pocket knife in a hidden pocket. When I say tiny I mean like the blade was maybe half the length of a pinky. I didn't even know it was in there. Didn't even remember the pocket. Holy s**t you would've thought I had a bomb strapped to my chest the way they reacted. When they finally found it they were like do you want to mail this home? I'm like ummmm I haven't left "home" no I'm not paying 15 dollars to send this thing that I forgot about 15 miles away. Lol.
Load More Replies...
I traveled recently and used a bag that I had taken to the range. No gun, but there were a few stray rounds that had accidently been left behind. Security pulled the bag, asked me why I had them, I explained. Inquired if I was in trouble and going to miss the flight "Oh no, we only pull you from the flight if you have 50 rounds or more." Yikes.
About 10 years ago I bought a letter opener at an Egyptian airport. It was clear that the security guards wanted money to allow me onto the plane but I didn't have any, so they waved me through. I often think about the time I had a 12 inch blade on a flight when I'm waiting to see if they let me onto a plane with my 120ml bottle of makeup.
My aunt works at an airport renting cars and is required to carry a gun at work. Because she works at the airport, she gets one free flight every month. Coming home one month, she goes through airpost securityafter work, forgetting that she had a gun in her purse... Imagine how that went down.
About like a fellow employee was coming back and his high school aged son said what would happen if there was bomb. He spent hours convincing them his son was stupid. He had to play every card, including he was a retired AF colonial.
Load More Replies...
This summer on the way to London, England, we had a layover in Germany and I forgot to take my scissors out of my art bag before we left home. Long story short they just threw them away. However, the part about this that scares me is that they didn't catch it during the security in the US. :o
My husband accidentally left his dive knife in his carry-on. He refuses to put his dive gear anywhere but carry-on. Thank goodness they let him go back and put it with our checked luggage.
They took my nail clippers away on one trip. Were they afraid I would clip everyone's nails?
Or as in my case—a well hidden unknown pocket knife in my backpack. Thought sure I was headed to a more intrusive search, jail, and the No Fly list.
I usually have a different purse I take with me to travel, so I can fit a lot in. Was promptly stopped when my purse on the conveyor scanned. They told me I have a "grain" in my purse and requested me to remove it. Wtf is a grain, I pulled out my bag and to my horror inside was a fired bullet an army friend gave me as memorabilia. Well, since I was heading to Moscow I refused to take it with me as an "item of importance" to me bc how the hell would I explain that to the border control in Moscow... Bonus: that wasn't the end of my endeavours that trip. My pack of cigarettes (ex-smoker now) beeped going through the metal detector at Kremlin. Not lighter, cig pack. To this day I've no idea how that happened. Entering the GUM, I beeped again because of a wrapped gift I had received from a jewelry store for purchasing from them. I had to explain to the security guard that I had *no clue* what was in the wrapped packet on me, God knows how he let me pass. It was a jewelry box...
What if I accidentally get stopped though the metal detector? Are my earrings ok?
I had two clava sticks and string and they were in a certain position when they went through the scanner...
I have a friend that claims she used to do security tests with an unloaded gun o. Her person. She has some cool sounding experiences that I've doubted but that at the same time I can see her doing. Anyway, she say that there is a way of carrying a gun that makes it relatively easy to get through and that she usually wasn't found out. Until all the agents had to get retrained.
When you were convinced in a self defense class that a Red steel weapon that looks like a thinner version of vibrator can be used as a key chain, but security confiscated it in front of other passengers, and you thought... it’s a key chain, oh wait it’s also a weapon, but it definitely looks like a... what would you even say?
If you say it’s a weapon, they might arrest you, so you just let them think it’s the latter and you walk away with an expression on your face that says, “I’ll just get another one.”
Load More Replies...
my first travel by plane was as a 5 year old i forgot i had my keys to my bike in my pocket the mrtal detector kept going off and i got more and more panicked thinking i would have to stay behind becausey a*****e of a father said that to me if you get holf up there to ling they were gonna keep you there for ever
Flying to a wedding after 9/11. The gift is a lead vase. Hold up at check in, I joke to my ex, I bet they think it's a bomb.
A few years ago I was visiting my aunts in America and I’d been knitting Aran sweaters for them. I finished one of them on the plane flying over to NJ from Ireland.
my first travel by plane: i forgot that i had a bottle openner made from empty bullet xD
Went to the Houses of Parliament once and forgot I had a pen knife in my pocket. Security were not happy
I once travelled to visit my parents on the 4th of July after 9/11 and security appeared to be pretty tight at the airport. After reached their house and was getting something out of my backpack, I found a box cutter that I must have left from work. Thanks God they didn't find it and WTF TSA for not finding it in my carry-on!! (But thank you for not ruining my life)
To be fair, there were zero passengers and they gutted the seats to lower the weight on board.
Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I have a friend who has tourettes syndrome and whenever we're at the airport one of her tics is to yell "I have a bomb" or just "bomb" and that's sometimes really awkward to explain
What does she do? Does she have to constantly explain? Must be really tough for her.
Load More Replies...
My husband and I used to like flying. Then 9/11 happened. We came back from the UK where everyone was so sympathetic and kind... and it was all camo-is-the-new-black, open carry, and WTF ARE YOU DOING CARRYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE USED STRINGS IN YOUR BACKPACK YOU COULD STRANGLE SOMEONE WITH THEM. It's only gotten worse and worse and worse. We avoid it at all costs now. :(
I used to work for TSA and we didn't care about musical instruments or string unless it was detonator.
Load More Replies...
I have an old friend who hates commercial flying so much, and has to travel for his work so frequently, that he put together a report showing that it would be cheaper for the company to buy an airplane and him fly it himself. And they did.
Yikes. I would not want to learn to fly. The ones that I don't get (meaning I'm not aiming this at you DE Ray or your old friend) are the people constantly travelling for work just to have conversations in different countries. Use video conferencing - it's exceptionally effective and much, much cheaper. Plus, ahem, the environment.
Load More Replies... Best check in story: Flying from west coast to east coast. Wearing Jeans and a hoodie. Jeans had these TINY little crystal bead things on back pockets. Get patted down, and by patted down I mean this chick still owes me dinner by the way she was. Tells me later that she thought "I might be smuggling diamonds" My response? B***h they're not even an 1/8th of a carat if that were true and there's like 5 on each pocket, please tell me how in any life that would be true? AND you owe me dinner for that feel you just copped." Lmao.
For those that were curious, the airlines do indeed weight passengers: "The Federal Aviation Administration sets an average weight per traveler and carry-on luggage to estimate how much weight planes will carry. According to "The New York Times," the average weight assigned to each passenger by the FAA is 200 pounds for men, 179 pounds for women and 76 pounds for children under 13. These estimates include 16 pounds per person of carry-on luggage and averages in the weight of winter and summer clothing." This change came in 2005, after a few fatal crashes that resulted in pilots and airlines using outdated weights and measurements from the 50s.
Not completely true. In Frankfurt, biggest airport in Germany, you have high security and full body scanners. Patdowns and taking things off though are only demanded if the scanner shows something. Similar to most big european airports, afaik.
Load More Replies...
I have a friend who has tourettes syndrome and whenever we're at the airport one of her tics is to yell "I have a bomb" or just "bomb" and that's sometimes really awkward to explain
What does she do? Does she have to constantly explain? Must be really tough for her.
Load More Replies... My husband and I used to like flying. Then 9/11 happened. We came back from the UK where everyone was so sympathetic and kind... and it was all camo-is-the-new-black, open carry, and WTF ARE YOU DOING CARRYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE USED STRINGS IN YOUR BACKPACK YOU COULD STRANGLE SOMEONE WITH THEM. It's only gotten worse and worse and worse. We avoid it at all costs now. :(
I used to work for TSA and we didn't care about musical instruments or string unless it was detonator.
Load More Replies... I have an old friend who hates commercial flying so much, and has to travel for his work so frequently, that he put together a report showing that it would be cheaper for the company to buy an airplane and him fly it himself. And they did.
Yikes. I would not want to learn to fly. The ones that I don't get (meaning I'm not aiming this at you DE Ray or your old friend) are the people constantly travelling for work just to have conversations in different countries. Use video conferencing - it's exceptionally effective and much, much cheaper. Plus, ahem, the environment.
Load More Replies... Best check in story: Flying from west coast to east coast. Wearing Jeans and a hoodie. Jeans had these TINY little crystal bead things on back pockets. Get patted down, and by patted down I mean this chick still owes me dinner by the way she was. Tells me later that she thought "I might be smuggling diamonds" My response? B***h they're not even an 1/8th of a carat if that were true and there's like 5 on each pocket, please tell me how in any life that would be true? AND you owe me dinner for that feel you just copped." Lmao.
For those that were curious, the airlines do indeed weight passengers: "The Federal Aviation Administration sets an average weight per traveler and carry-on luggage to estimate how much weight planes will carry. According to "The New York Times," the average weight assigned to each passenger by the FAA is 200 pounds for men, 179 pounds for women and 76 pounds for children under 13. These estimates include 16 pounds per person of carry-on luggage and averages in the weight of winter and summer clothing." This change came in 2005, after a few fatal crashes that resulted in pilots and airlines using outdated weights and measurements from the 50s.
Not completely true. In Frankfurt, biggest airport in Germany, you have high security and full body scanners. Patdowns and taking things off though are only demanded if the scanner shows something. Similar to most big european airports, afaik.
Load More Replies...