Getting booted from a flight is rare—but when it happens, it’s always a spectacle. Curious travelers recently asked pilots on r/flying: “Have you ever kicked a passenger off a flight?” The responses ranged from annoyingly relatable to downright insane, with one clear message: some people should never leave the ground.

One airplane pilot shared a classic tale of entitlement gone wrong:

“Had a platinum pro passenger shove a flight attendant over a seat issue. Police dragged her away as she screamed, ‘I have elite status!’ It’s a federal offense to strike a crew member.”

Entitlement might get you through the TSA line faster, but it won’t save you from an arrest.

Drunken shenanigans are another surefire way to end your trip before it begins. One pilot explained:

“The biggest issue is intoxicated passengers. You try to defuse the situation, but sometimes you can’t. We’ve turned people around at the airstairs for being drunk and abusive before even taking off.”

Another pilot related the perfect illustration:

“He fell getting on the plane, calling flight attendants names. We turned him right around, and no one asked why.”

Some passengers aren’t allowed to board airplanes because they’re unprepared

But bad behavior isn’t the only reason for removal. Sometimes, passengers just don’t come prepared.

“People board saying they’ll need oxygen, but they didn’t bring their concentrator or enough batteries. Emergency oxygen isn’t for planned needs, so we have to remove them,” one pilot explained.

That emergency oxygen? It’s being saved for depressurization emergencies at 30,000 feet, not for someone who forgot to charge their gear.

And then there are the truly nerve-wracking situations. One pilot described a truly sketchy situation mid-flight:

“Flight attendants reported a passenger acting suspicious, and their child seemed off. We passed the description to law enforcement. Turns out, they were wanted and got arrested after landing.”

For every entitled flier or unprepared traveler, crews are also trained to spot threats. Sometimes, removing someone isn’t just about keeping the flight pleasant—it’s about keeping everyone safe.

So, if you’re flying anytime soon, here’s some advice: don’t drink too much, charge your medical devices, and definitely don’t shove anyone. Airplanes aren’t the place to play stupid games.