As an out-of-state student who goes to school about eight to 10 hours away from home, I find that during the holiday season I’m in airports a lot. With this, I’ve seen a wide variety of people in the airports, but I still find my Thanksgiving flight to be the most memorable flight that I boarded last year.
People watching in an airport is exciting already because you see people from all different walks of life, but Thanksgiving is even more exciting because so many people are flying somewhere to see their relatives. With that, here’s a list of some of the people you may see traveling home this Wednesday.
1. The Family
I saw a couple of families flying home for Thanksgiving last year. The kids are either tired and irritable or they’re excited to get on an airplane. Either way, the parents usually look exhausted, and I have to give them a round of applause for not pulling their hair out by the end of the night; travelling is stressful for me and I’m by myself.
2. The Exhausted Travelers
These travelers have been from airport to airport all day; this is their fourth layover and they’re done with the whole flying thing. This makes them either the best or worst passenger to sit next to. Either they’re so tired that they just crash or they’re all revved up to complain the whole flight about every delay the airports had on what’s probably the busiest traveling day of the year.
3. The Person Who’s in Some Branch of the Military
It always makes me so happy to see somebody who’s in his or her uniform on a flight, and this person usually brings out the best in other passengers; I’ve seen a man offer his seat in first class to a man in uniform as well as something as simple as a “thank you.”
4. The Seasoned Traveler
The seasoned traveler is a pro. Maybe he or she travels a lot for business or maybe they just travel a lot for enjoyment. Either way, they’ve got this whole travelling thing down and know how to pack light.
5. The College Student
The college student is probably the most prevalent to me. That may be because I can easily scope of my fellow students, or it could be because there are other campuses, like my own, that don’t close until a certain time. These students are probably wearing their backpacks and college gear and might even be seen napping or doing homework.
6. The Couple
The couple is usually grossly cute. Maybe it’s the first time one of them is introducing the other to their family or maybe they’ve been dating for years. Either way they may turn into your new relationship goal.
No matter who you see—whether they’re on this list or not—chances are these people will be from all walks of life. So with that, strike up a conversation with your neighbor; you never know what you might learn in the process. Happy traveling!
