Please Remain Seated While Generations Clash
Air travel used to mean dressing up, bringing a book, and minding your manners. Now it’s Crocs, ring lights, and middle-seat yoga stretches. For Baby Boomers, today’s airplanes can feel less like transport and more like a flying Gen Z social experiment. Here are the habits making Boomers absolutely lose it at 35,000 feet.
Filming Everything for TikTok
Zoomers treat every flight like a content opportunity. From takeoff montages to in-flight “Get Ready With Me” videos, no moment is too ordinary. Boomers, who were raised to keep to themselves, can’t understand why someone needs ten angles of their ginger ale.
Turning the Tray Table into a Workspace
Zoomers whip out laptops, tablets, and second screens like they’re in a WeWork at cruising altitude. Boomers, who remember when trays held meals instead of MacBooks, are quietly horrified. “Can’t you just… read a magazine?” one might mutter while shielding their crossword from the glow of a 13-inch monitor.
Boarding Last—On Purpose
Instead of politely lining up, Zoomers hang back, earbuds in, boarding at the last possible second. Boomers see it as chaos. Zoomers call it “efficiency.” Different vibes, same plane, same overhead-bin drama once they inevitably arrive to zero space for their carry-on.
Ignoring Dress Codes Entirely
For Boomers, flying meant slacks and a collared shirt. For Zoomers, it’s hoodies, fuzzy socks, and a blanket cape. Boomers can’t believe people now treat a flight like a living room—and Zoomers can’t believe anyone once wore heels to board or cologne strong enough to fog the cabin.
Refusing to Turn Off Their AirPods
When the announcement says “devices off,” Zoomers take it as a suggestion. They just lower the volume slightly and keep the vibes going. Boomers tense up, waiting for the FAA to appear or for a stern flight attendant to restore the old-school sense of order.
Bringing Their Own Ring Light
Yes, some Zoomers travel with mini ring lights—to film content mid-flight. Boomers, who once thought a newspaper crossword was bold, can’t handle the flash glare from 12C. Nothing says “I miss Pan Am” like being blinded during beverage service.
Using Slang Loud Enough for Everyone to Hear
When someone says “this turbulence is low-key stressing me out,” Boomers hear a foreign language. The constant stream of “no cap,” “bruh,” and “vibe check” feels like in-flight Morse code for chaos, and no one is offering translations over the intercom.
Standing Up the Second the Plane Lands
Boomers have always waited for their row. Zoomers leap up immediately, backpacks swinging, ready for freedom. The seatbelt sign is still on—but so is the impatience. It’s the generational version of a jailbreak, and the sighs from the back rows could power a wind turbine.
Eating Elaborate Homemade Meals
Forget peanuts. Some Zoomers unpack entire poke bowls or charcuterie boards mid-flight. The aroma alone sends Boomers into silent despair, wishing for simpler times (and fewer tuna salads). One person’s self-care snack is another’s airborne fish market.
Talking to Flight Attendants Like They’re Friends
Zoomers love being “chill” with the crew—calling them “queen” or “bro.” Boomers, raised on “yes, ma’am” and “thank you, sir,” cringe into their neck pillows. The generational gap has never been wider—or more politely caffeinated.
Taking Barefoot Bathroom Trips
Nothing unites Boomers (and even Millennials and Gen Xers) faster than watching a barefoot Zoomer stroll to the lavatory. Some things transcend generations, but not hygiene. The collective multi-generational gasp of horror could rattle the beverage cart.
Filming Strangers Without Asking
Boomers think privacy is sacred. Zoomers think “funny plane guy” is viral gold. When someone ends up online for sleeping funny, Boomers start longing for the quiet anonymity of Pan Am—and maybe a world without front-facing cameras.
Bringing Emotional Support Animals (Plural)
Boomers might be okay with a dog. But when a flight includes a ferret, a parrot, and a gecko named Kevin, they start questioning modern aviation. The cabin now feels like a petting zoo with turbulence, and Boomers just want their peanuts back.
Making TikToks in the Aisle
Mid-flight lip-sync? Why not. For Boomers, it’s the height of chaos. For Zoomers, it’s content. At least turbulence makes for a good transition cut—and for once, both generations agree it’s better than another crying-baby video.
Declining Snacks Because They “Meal Prepped”
Boomers love the ritual of in-flight pretzels. Zoomers pull out mason jars of chia pudding and say they’re “being mindful.” The divide has never been more edible—or more confusing to the man clutching his Biscoff cookie like tradition itself.
Leaving Seats Fully Reclined the Entire Flight
Boomers learned not to invade personal space. Zoomers see the recline button as a right, not a privilege. Cue silent passive-aggressive sighs from Row 22 and a renewed longing for those upright-only economy days.
Treating Turbulence Like a Thrill Ride
Boomers grip the armrest. Zoomers laugh, film it, and say, “POV: You’re in a washing machine.” Different coping mechanisms, same altitude. Somewhere in between, the Millennials just order another ginger ale and pretend to meditate.
Making Playlists for Every Flight
Instead of silence or small talk, Zoomers curate “plane-core” playlists. Boomers can’t grasp why takeoff needs a soundtrack—especially one called “Main Character Energy.” Still, at least it’s quieter than a Walkman rewinding mid-flight.
Live-Tweeting Delays
For Boomers, delays are endured in quiet frustration. For Zoomers, they’re content opportunities. Within minutes, there’s a thread, a meme, and a “flight from hell” story already trending. The gate agent hasn’t even spoken yet, but the internet has.
Theo Eilertsen Photography, Unsplash
Asking Seatmates to Swap So They Can Sit by Friends
Zoomers think it’s no big deal to politely ask for swaps. Boomers see it as breaking sacred seating law. “You chose 32B,” they mutter, clutching their window seat victory like it’s a constitutional right.
Traveling with Full-Sized Gaming Consoles
Yes, Zoomers pack PlayStations for layovers. Boomers can’t fathom lugging extra electronics just to game in Terminal C. But Gen Z will grind XP anywhere—Wi-Fi, turbulence, or not. It’s dedication, if nothing else.
Oversharing on Speakerphone Before Takeoff
Boomers value privacy; Zoomers think everyone needs to hear the breakup recap. The plane hasn’t even left the gate, and already everyone knows Chad’s in the wrong—and that Emma’s “so over it.” Boomers close their eyes and pray for taxiing speed.
Doing Skincare Mid-Flight
Boomers quietly dab moisturizer. Zoomers pull out full ten-step routines, complete with mists and jade rollers. The glow-up is real—and confusing to anyone over 60. Bonus points if there’s a sheet mask involved and the person in 14A wakes up terrified.
Bringing a Giant Stuffed Animal
It’s cute to them, chaotic to everyone else. When a three-foot plush frog gets its own seat, Boomers remember when carry-ons were briefcases, not bedtime buddies. The frog, of course, has better legroom.
Refusing to Clap When the Plane Lands
Boomers see landing applause as good manners. Zoomers think it’s cringe. The silence that follows makes the generational tension almost audible, broken only by one brave soul clapping ironically—and everyone pretending not to hear it.
Using AI Chatbots Mid-Flight
Boomers still marvel at Wi-Fi in the sky. Zoomers? They’re asking AI to write breakup texts while flying over Kansas. The future has arrived—and it’s typing faster than the beverage cart can roll by.
Turning the Overhead Bin Into a Battle Zone
Zoomers cram oversized duffels, then stare blankly when they don’t fit. Boomers, veterans of carry-on Tetris, can only shake their heads and mutter about “the good old days” when bags actually met size limits—and courtesy ruled the aisles.
LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR, Unsplash
Refusing to Close the Window Shade
Boomers like a dim cabin and a nap. Zoomers want natural light for the aesthetic. The war over sunlight is eternal—and brutal. One person’s perfect golden-hour shot is another’s migraine, and no one wins.
Bringing Their Own Blanket (and It’s Huge)
Forget airline blankets—Zoomers bring plush, king-sized ones. Boomers spend the flight watching the fabric creep over the armrest like it’s a slow-motion invasion. Soon half the row is under one blanket and everyone’s personal space is gone.
Treating Every Flight Like a Therapy Session
Some Zoomers overshare mid-flight, detailing life traumas to seatmates who just wanted a quiet movie. Boomers call it oversharing. Zoomers call it vulnerability. Either way, the poor stranger in 23C deserves hazard pay.
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