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Airlines are constantly plagued by delays. They can be caused by the weather, mechanical issues, waiting for a positioning crew member, Air Traffic Control issues, etc. But sometimes smaller delays have nothing to do with the airline as much as your fellow travelers.

For better or for worse, most Americans can identify certain characteristics about people from specific states. Folks from southern states talk slowly. New Yorkers are rude (ummm…nope). People from Oregon are hipsters. Californians are chill. And the list goes on and on. These stereotypes are so prevalent that ChatGPT was even able to identify them (yeah, I know it’s a rag mag. But ChatGPT is already being accused of social biases and stereotypes, so it all kind of fits in).

For the most part, you don’t see many descriptors of how people from certain states act when it comes to air travel. Sure, you’ll hear why MCO is such a mess, or that you’ll never get an upgrade on Delta at ATL because ATL is Delta’s home and everybody there is vying for an upgrade. But you never hear how people from THIS state caused more delays at the TSA checkpoint than people from THAT state. Or how folks from certain states have more problems with getting their carry on bag into the overhead.

Well, until now.

To learn where travelers are the most and least efficient, USA Today polled Americans in every state about their habits when traveling by air. Here’s how they did it. From USA Today:

Between Oct. 3 – 19, 2023, we surveyed 5,000 American travelers who have traveled by air in the past five years. We compiled representative samples from all 50 U.S. states with a +/-3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

To report our primary rankings, establishing the most and least efficient traveling populations, we asked questions about 15 unique behaviors related to air travel, and used particular answers to inform an overall Inefficiency Score. The behaviors related to one of three categories: security checkpoints, general preparedness, and luggage and overpacking.

The behaviors they investigated were:

• Nature of check-in (online or in-person).
• Various causes for being stopped by the TSA.
• Stopped for having too much luggage.
• Struggling to fit luggage in overhead bins.
• Response to snack and beverage service.
• Preparedness to deplane.
• Behavior at baggage claim.

Inefficiency at the TSA security checkpoint

If you travel all the time, being efficient at the TSA checkpoint becomes a matter of habit. You have TSA PreCheck, which allows you not to have to take your jacket off, remove your bag o’liquids and electronics from your bags, etc. But it also becomes second nature that you empty your pockets. Take your coat off. Have your ID at the ready.

But not everybody travels all the time, so they may not have developed those good habits to get you through the checkpoint quickly and efficiently—quite the opposite.

With that in mind, USA Today determined that the most inefficient travelers at the TSA security checkpoint come from these states:

FUN FACT! According to USA Today's survey, the most common mistakes Americans said they tended to make at the TSA security checkpoint were:

• 28% had to be reminded to take off their belt or shoes
• 28% accidentally went through the scanner with their phone, keys, etc.
• 23% forgot to remove their electronics from their carry-in

Obviously, many of their respondents don't have TSA PreCheck ;-)

Inefficiency at putting carry-on bags into the overhead bins

Once people get onto the plane, getting settled shouldn't take that long. But whether it's because their carry on bag is too big to really fit, they need to get something out of their carry on bag before they put it in the overhead, or what have you, some people are much more inefficient at getting their bag into the overhead.

With that in mind, USA Today determined that the most inefficient travelers in getting their bag into the overhead come from these states:

Inefficiency at deboarding the plane

When you deboard the plane, it should be an easy enough process; get your stuff together, wait your turn, and go. But it doesn't always work out like that.

With that in mind, USA Today determined that the most inefficient travelers in deboarding the plane from these states:

Our take on this

The way USA Today's study was laid out, it makes for a lot of questions.

Efficiency at the TSA security checkpoint

As we mentioned several times, efficiency in travel is going to be at least partially based on flying on a regular basis. When you fly more often, you're familiar with what will be expected of you at each part of the air travel process. If you've never flown before but have studied what to expect, sure, you may be cognitively prepared for what to do at the TSA security checkpoint, but that's still not the same as knowing what to do out of habit. And having TSA PreCheck can make all the difference in the world in terms of how much efficiency you need to have at the checkpoint.

Someone's efficiency at putting bags into the overhead bins is going to be based on so many factors that can't be helped:

• Did some A-hole put their bag in the up front overhead and then walk to their seat in the back?
• Did they load towards the end have to find space to put their carry-on bag?
• I'm 4'6" tall and can't reach the bins. Some people have other health issues where they can't lift over their heads. Does being unable to put things into the overhead count as "inefficiency?"
• Were they trying to put away bags only for themselves or did they have young children, or an elderly or a disabled person with them whose bags also needed to be placed in the overhead and would need assistance with same?
• The survey was done during October 2023. People in northern states might already be wearing heavier coats, which would need to be handled while getting everything settled

The same could be said about efficiency upon deplaning:

• Was someone inefficient in getting their bags out of the overhead because everyone else had rushed to stand up in the aisle? Or because they had to go 7 seats back because that was the only space for their carry-on bag?
• Were they traveling alone or did they have a toddler with them who had fallen asleep and now needed to be carried out of the plane? Would "Grandma in her wheelchair" need to put on her jacket or she'd get chilled?

I understand the point USA Today was trying to make but there are just way too many variables that they didn't address:

• Frequent flyer vs. occasional flyer
• Flying alone or with people (young, old, infirm) who would need their assistance?
• Circumstances beyond their control, such as an overhead above them that was already full

It's possible that people from certain states may be more or less efficient at the TSA security checkpoint, putting carry-on bags into the overhead, or deplaning. But with all the external factors involved, I doubt it's as cut and dry as USA Today suggests.

Click here to see the full survey.

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