Why No One Talks on Planes Anymore (And Whether That’s a Problem)
I noticed something strange on my last flight — no one talks anymore. Everyone's glued to their screens, watching reels offline. Has flying become completely disconnected?
Something I noticed on my last flight
Something I noticed on my last flight
On a recent flight, I realised something strange.
No one talks anymore.
The guy next to me was scrolling through old photos. Another passenger was watching downloaded TikToks. At one point, I even saw someone watching Instagram Reels offline.
We were all sitting shoulder to shoulder for hours — and yet completely disconnected.
When did this change?
It wasn't always like this.
Years ago, flights had a different vibe. People would start conversations, exchange travel stories, sometimes even stay in touch after landing.
Now it almost feels unnatural to say hi to the person sitting next to you.
Everyone is in their own bubble. Headphones on, eyes down, mentally somewhere else.
Do people actually want to talk?
I shared this observation on Reddit to see what others think.
The responses were split.
Some people said they just want to be left alone — relax, watch something, sleep. Fair point.
But a lot of others said something different. They're bored. They wouldn't mind talking. They just don't want to be the one to initiate it.
Curious what others said? Read the thread on Reddit.
The real divide
It seems like there are two groups on every flight.
People who want to be left alone. And people who are open — but passive. They'd welcome a conversation, just not if it means breaking the silence themselves.
The problem is both groups look exactly the same from the outside.
So nobody makes a move.
The awkwardness barrier
Starting a conversation on a plane today feels weird.
You don't know if you're interrupting. You don't know if the other person is interested. There's no low-pressure way to test it.
So people default to doing nothing — even if they're bored and would actually enjoy talking.
Is there a better way?
This got me thinking.
What if there was a way to see who's open to chatting, without the awkward cold approach? Something optional, respectful, and low-pressure.
That idea is what led me to build Wingman — an iOS app that lets you chat with people nearby, even without internet. No Wi-Fi needed, no account, no data. It works on Airplane Mode.
It's not for everyone. But it might be exactly right for that second group — the ones who are open to connecting, just waiting for someone to make it easy.
If you're curious, you can find it on the App Store.
What do you think?
Has flying just become a silent experience?
Or are people still open to connecting — just waiting for the right moment?