'Liza Minnelli sang in first class for 30 minutes': Passengers share their best in-flight celebrity encounters

  • On flight to India, the Dalai Lama blessed several of the passengers 
  • On another trip to Las Vegas, Flavor Flav handed out the in-flight snacks 
  • A flier revealed how Harry Styles was remarkably polite to cabin crew  

As most celebrities work across a number of different countries, it's unsurprising that more than a few people have a story about when they sat next to the actress or singer of the moment.

But every now and again, the trip sheds some light on what the famous person is really like behind the magazine covers and scripted shows. 

And for every Gerard Depardieu urinating on the cabin floor, there is a singer who gave a honeymooning couple 100 dollars or an actor that carried a fellow passenger's bags onto the plane.

Passengers have been sharing their best in-flight celebrity encounters with stars like Dolly Parton
Passengers have been sharing their best in-flight celebrity encounters with stars like Harry Styles

Passengers have been sharing their best in-flight celebrity encounters with stars like Dolly Parton, left, and Harry Styles, right 

Travellers have been sharing their favourite stories of celebrity flight encounters online, featuring everyone from Dolly Parton to Harry Styles. 

Flights can be a boring experience, except when there's a professional entertainer on board, as was the case when one anonymous passenger shared a plane with Liza Minnelli.

They told Data Lounge: 'She decided she would entertain those others in first class so she sang... 30 minutes' worth.'

Meanwhile, one traveller who was on the same plane as Flavor Flav was stunned when they were handed their in-flight snack by the rapper. 

One passenger was on a flight where Flavor Flav handed out the snacks to passengers 

One passenger was on a flight where Flavor Flav handed out the snacks to passengers 

Buzzfeed reader called khjakubec said: 'About seven years ago, I was flying back to Pittsburgh from Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines, when [This] elderly gentleman next to me tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Miss, do you know who that is with that giant clock on his neck?"

'I look up and Flavor Flav was not only coming up the aisle toward me, but he was actually passing out the snacks with a huge grin! I thanked him for my Ritz with cheese and he said, "Anything for you, baby!"'

Not every star has to be so extrovert in order to impress though - some celebrities manage to get brownie points just by minding their P's and Q's. 

One passenger who shared a flight with the singer Harry Styles was simply struck by how gracious he was for such a world famous star. 

The anonymous contributor on Data Lounge said: 'I was struck by how extraordinarily polite he was with the cabin crew and gracious with a fellow passenger who wanted a picture and autograph for her niece. 

'He was poised, kind and mature well beyond his years. [By the way] he wheezes when he sleeps.' 

On one flight, Hugh Laurie carried the bags  of a passenger
On one flight, Liza Minnelli sang to passengers in First Class

On one flight, Hugh Laurie, left, carried the bags  of a passenger, while on another trip Liza Minnelli, right, sang to passengers in First Class 

Meanwhile, another encounter on a plane with the late comedian Joan Rivers, famous for her withering put downs, shows that appearances can be deceiving. 

The anonymous traveller told Data Lounge: 'Joan was on a flight from New York to Miami.

'She was super nice and even exchanged seats so a father could sit closer to his children.' 

But while basic manners go a long way, it seems like some celebrities have world-class behaviour, as was the experience of a passenger boarding the same flight as the British actor Hugh Laurie. 

They told Buzzfeed: 'He saw me dragging my duffel bag and offered to carry it for me until he sat down in First Class.

'Oddly enough, he was speaking in an American accent.' 

One passenger was blessed by the Dalai Lama during a flight  

One passenger was blessed by the Dalai Lama during a flight  

Impressive, but not the best - that prize goes to Dolly Parton, who was so heartened by a young couple in love that she handed over cash for their trip.  

An anonymous contributor told Data Lounge: 'My co-worker and his wife met Dolly on a plane.

'When she learned that they were newlyweds on their way to the honeymoon, she gave them a $100 bill.'

But while cash is always welcome, especially after shelling out on expensive aeroplane tickets, nothing beats a blessing from one of the most spiritual people in the world. 

A traveller who goes by the username Ptpa told Airliners.net: 'I was on a flight in 1994 from Amsterdam to Delhi in Business Class, I was in Row 1, and the Dalai Lama and his assistant were in Row 2. 

'There were people of his faith coming in to get blessed and he blessed me too, then asked questions like how are you, where are you going, etc. 

'They even accepted the KLM Delft Houses [miniature Dutch houses filled with gin] when the FAs handed them out, and gave them to his assistant to put it in [their] hand baggage.

'It was an interesting experience, to say the least.' 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now