Flying can be a pretty stressful experience at the best of times, what with delays, restricted leg room and awful sleeping routines. And what you don’t need is passengers with poor aeroplane etiquette making you feel even more infuriated whilst you’re trapped 30,000 feet in the air. So here are just a few tips to consider when flying which will leave both you and your fellow passengers feeling much more relaxed.
1. Look before you recline
How many times have you wished that the person in front of you would just take the time to glance back before they move their seat to the reclining position? A lot? Me too. By not doing so, there’s a risk of drinks spillages, bruised heads and limited legroom for those who need it most (think someone over 6ft or those with small children). So before you press the button and settle in for the flight, just think about those behind you first.
2. Avoid smelly food
If you plan to bring snacks on the plane then just be a little considerate about which foodstuffs you decide to purchase. Sitting on a plane with the lingering smell of egg or tuna is not an ideal situation for anyone, even if you were the one who ate and really enjoyed that sandwich. Just don’t. For the sake of everyone keep the smelly food down to a minimum.
3. Don’t take up the whole armrest
We all want to rest our arms somewhere on a flight, but be sure not to claim the armrest solely for yourself. If you know the person sitting next to you it isn’t too hard to work out but if it’s a stranger, try to be thoughtful. Decide if you want the back or the front, that way you both can secure a little off the armrest and can keep comfy during the flight.
4. Don’t hog the overhead bin
Nowadays taking a checked bag on your holidays can cost small fortune, so most of us rely on hand baggage. So if you do take two bags onto a flight, be sure to keep the smallest one at your feet. And don’t put your bag in horizontally, it’ll take up too much space and someone will be left wandering the isles looking for a spot to place their bag. Super inconvenient and not cool.
5. Resist forcing a conversation
Sometimes you can spark up an interesting conversation with another passenger and it’s great. It definitely makes the time go quicker that’s for sure, but be aware that some people may not want to be too social whilst flying. If they are not engaged, just let it drop and leave them in peace. And if you’re the one not feeling like having a chat just be polite and let the other person know. It’ll save you both hours of polite, awkward conversation.
6. Be respectful of when you get up
There’s no easy way to do it, but during a flight you will have to ask your neighbours to get up to make room for you to go to the bathroom and stretch your legs. Just make sure you pick a convenient time to do so. Asking someone to stand up whilst their dinner tray is still on their table is a no go. And during a night flight try to limit the amount of times you get up and down, especially when those around you are sleeping. Some people find it extremely hard to get some shut-eye and having to keep moving every twenty minutes will not make this any easier to do.
All these tiny actions can really go a long way. By treating other passengers with respect whilst in the air, you’ll all have a much more enjoyable experience and hopefully wont get off the plane with the urge to punch someone in the face. If you have excellent aeroplane etiquette we want to hear from you. What’s your number one tip for those annoying passengers out there?
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