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Summer travel season is officially here, which means many of us are preparing to run the gauntlet of the scam that is air travel. You know, that delightful exercise in which you pay through the nose to be treated like an animal for hours on end and then have to pay extra fees if you want the luxury of, say, bringing a change of clothes with you or not sitting in the airplane toilet the entire time.

But a travel expert reveals that these schemes and scams go well beyond all the infuriating booking fees we now have to contend with. The money-grubbing continues once you’re onboard in ways that most of us probably haven’t noticed.

A travel expert shares why some airlines try to make you as uncomfortable as possible.

Obviously, the chief scheme here is to make the experience as miserable as possible in general so that you’ll hopefully spring for a first-class ticket, or at least for the oxymoronic “premium economy” section of the plane.

Dmitry Galaganov | Shutterstock

But travel expert Javier Sobrino, the founder of Spanish Travel Platform discovering tripssays that airlines, and discount airlines in particular, have a whole method of making sure you spend more money than you want to once you’re onboard, even if you paid for one of those seats that feels like a folding chair with a little flap for a tray table next to the bathrooms. It all comes down to being as disruptive as possible.

“What might seem like a one-off nuisance — interrupting you to offer you a coffee or a perfume — is actually one of the silent keys to the business model,” Sobrino explained. In short, it all comes down to being as disruptive as possible.

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Some airlines use discomfort and constant interruptions to ensure you don’t sleep and keep spending.

You know how it is: You’ve finally settled into your miserable seat and are enjoying some three-year-old episode of “Real Housewives” when suddenly the show freezes and the flight attendants get on the intercom to jabber.

First, it’s about what drinks you can buy. Then a bit of time goes by, and just about the moment you’re back into the show, here comes another announcement about how you should open an airline credit card, right there on the plane! Or maybe buy some duty-free perfume!

Oh, and also remember that there’s no smoking on board! Yes, we already said this five times, and of course, we could have repeated this 15 minutes ago when we were already sales pitching you on a frequent flier program, but what’s the fun in efficiency?

From the purposefully uncomfortable seats and lighting to these constant interruptions, Sobrano said it’s all intentional, and airline staff he asked directly admitted it (anonymously, of course). Because airlines have found that if you’re physically uncomfortable AND psychologically annoyed as much as possible? You’ll buy more food and booze. They’re literally driving you to drink!

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The drink cart makes airlines tons of money, sometimes more than the airfares.

Have you ever heard the statistic about how a glass of soda costs a restaurant roughly a dime at most? And how concessions are how movie theaters actually make money? Well, Ryanair, Europe’s largest air carrier, generated 1,612 Billion Euros in net profit the last fiscal year (about $1.888 billion), and 30% of it came from that trolley full of drinks, snacks, and duty-free items.

Meaning that 1 of every 3 euros paid to Ryanair came from that cart rolling down the aisle, to the tune of 450 million Euros (nearly $530 million). And since discount airlines are known for occasionally promoting themselves with shockingly low fares, the drink cart sometimes pays more than the airfares themselves.

Yaroslav Astakhov | Canva Pro

“When you break down the numbers, a single coffee sale can be worth more to the airline than the actual ticket price on some routes,” explained Sobrino, who said this is often even more true on international flights, which have enormous fuel and wage costs compared to other routes.

Misery makes up the shortfall. “Bright lighting disrupts your circadian rhythm, constant announcements prevent rest, and uncomfortable seating leaves you restless,” Sobrano explained. “When you’re tired and uncomfortable… you’re more likely to make impulse purchases just to feel slightly better…. Airlines have turned passenger discomfort into a profit center.”

So there you have it, one more thing to silently seethe over while you sit trapped in a metal tube with an aching behind paying $6 for a soda just so you don’t primal scream into the ears of the guy in the middle seat sleeping on your shoulder. Enjoy your vacation!

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John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.