People are ready to take off, but should you get off?
Joining the mile-high club may seem easier to get into than most membership organizations, but it may not be worth the bragging rights.
The mile-high club — the cheeky nickname for the group of people who have had sexual intercourse while in flight — seems to be losing its sexy status faster than SoHo House.
As one flight attendant put it, cramped aircraft and the stress of flying today have killed the mood.
“Flights are full, bathrooms are smaller, there’s less space onboard, and passengers are more stressed out than ever, so nobody is feeling … sexy,” Heather Poole, a flight attendant with a major US carrier and author of the book “Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet,” told Fodors.
“No one is walking on board thinking, ‘Let’s get it on.’ At least I don’t get that impression on my flights.”
But rumors of the mile-high club have flown through the air since humans first took flight, and some turned-on travelers are still trying to join the elite status — although it could be illegal.
The legality of a high-flying hanky panky is up in the air depending on factors such as the country of registration for the aircraft and operating airline, as well as the country the aircraft is flying over.
But some frisky flyers are willing to get risky.
Earlier this year, a man from Detroit was hit with federal charges after he allegedly drunkenly propositioned two flight attendants twice about joining the “mile-high club” with him during his first-ever flight, federal prosecutors say.
He was arrested on one count of interference with flight crew members, a charge that carries up to 20 years in jail.
However, plenty of others — including celebrities — claim to have joined the club.
Drew Barrymore, 49, and Christina Aguilera, 43, recently boasted about their memberships and encouraged others to sign up.
“If you’re curious, like, ‘Why are people doing it?’ I’m telling you, elevation, it feels different. I can’t recommend it more. Sorry, FAA!” Barrymore said on her talk show. “I was, like, ‘Whoa!’” she continued, laughing.
It’s assumed the celeb members of the mile-high club were flying private during their mid-air romps, but as the majority of the public fly commercial, the best bet most couples have is sneaking into the bathroom together, where 59% of inflight rendezvous occur, according to a survey by match-making site SaucyDates.
Daniel Avram – stock.adobe.com
But slipping two people into an airplane bathroom — typically located in the middle of the aisles or next to the flight attendants’ galley — isn’t a simple task, especially in today’s share-all world.
“To those passengers [attempting to join the mile-high club], I’d like to say, ‘Good luck not going viral on social media,’” says Poole. “Everyone is quick to film anything that looks out of the ordinary.”
