The most annoying things passengers do on transport

Close up of a businessman listening to music while riding in a bus

Attention transport users! YouGov’s latest research reveals which traits people find to be the most annoying when using public transport.

Read on to find out if you’re guilty of irritating your fellow travellers.

Taking public transport can be a mixed experience. Whilst it can often be a cheaper, faster or more convenient means to reach your destination, you can never fully plan for what you will find on your journey.

YouGov, asked over 9000 public transport users in Asia Pacific what they hoped to avoid on their journey.

Coughing or sneezing without covering your mouth is a big no-no

The three most annoying traits in fellow travellers were seen to be; passengers sneezing or coughing without covering their mouth (cited by 52 per cent of those polled), poor personal hygiene (51 per cent) and putting feet on the seats (38 per cent).

Older travelers are more likely to be annoyed by passengers talking loudly on their phones – 42 per cent of those aged 55+ cited this as one of their top three most irritating experiences while, just 33 per cent of 16-24 year olds felt the same way.

Thais are the least concerned by personal hygiene

There are also some regional variations in what annoys public transport users. Those in the Philippines are most concerned with poor personal hygiene (69 per cent), whereas Thais are the least concerned (35 per cent).

Using bad language is a particular problem in Vietnam, where the number of those annoyed by bad language (47 per cent) is almost double the regional average (25 per cent).

Residents of Hong Kong are nearly twice as likely to be annoyed by hearing loud music coming from fellow travellers’ mobiles than others; 21 per cent find it annoying, compared to 11 per cent regionally.

Etiquette in Australia 

Screen Shot 2017-06-21 at 10.51.58 AM

You can suss out other locations and their pet peeves here.

Latest News

  • Technology

Booking.com launches AI Trip Planner in Australia and New Zealand

Booking.com has announced its AI Trip Planner (Beta) is now available for travellers in Australia and New Zealand, the first markets to launch in Asia Pacific. Until now, AI Trip Planner was only available for US and UK travellers after it was launched in the Booking.com app in June last year. Built using Booking.com’s existing […]

  • Products

Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]