Men behaving badly: Why annoying plane passengers are most likely to be self-centred, infrequent flyers and... male

According to new research, men who have less experience flying and describe themselves as being selfish make the most irksome plane passengers. Photo / 123RF

According to newly published research, the most likely candidate for bad plane etiquette is a man who seldom flies.

There's at least one on every flight.

The boorish passenger who kicks your chair back, invades your personal space and is rude to the cabin crew.

And according to newly published research, the most likely candidate for bad plane etiquette is a man who seldom flies.

In a new paper that surveyed 750 adults in the US, researcher Ryan Meldrum from Florida International University aimed to see if he could paint a portrait of the 'imprudent' airline passenger.

For the study, which was published in The Social Science Journal, participants were asked how likely or unlikely they would be to exhibit certain behaviours in-flight.

The list of offences included everything from not waiting to recline their seat back until the plane reached cruising altitude, 'passing gas,' not washing hands after using the lavatory and cursing at fellow flyers.

Meldrum then collected demographic information from participants, including their gender and the number of times they'd flown on a plane.

To further flesh out the research, participants were also asked to rate themselves on character traits like impulsivity, self-restraint and self-centeredness.

Overall, the findings suggest that the more seasoned the flyer, the less boorish their in-flight manners, said Meldrum.

'What this suggests is that being a pleasant airline passenger depends, in part, on how many times you have flown. There appears to be a learning curve,' he said in a statement.

The findings are consistent with previous studies showing that men are more likely to engage in antisocial and risky behaviour than women in general.

Likewise, the data also makes a connection between imprudent behaviour and higher levels of self-control and self-centeredness, he added.