Airplane Etiquette: In-Flight Do’s and Don’ts

Flying can be quite an adventure for anyone, but there IS proper airline etiquette you should follow. Some people can be terribly rude and inconsiderate while most are just fine. Here are some dos and don’ts you need to know when flying.

Do’s

• Get on the plane without holding up the line behind you.
• If you need to move someone’s bag around, ask them first.
• If you must take your shoes off, please have something to control the smell of your feet. But seriously if it’s a short flight, just keep them on.
• If the person next to you starts talking to you, be polite to them. If they don’t stop talking, you can explain nicely that you are tired and want to rest. Otherwise, smile and enjoy the conversation.
• When you open the overhead luggage compartment, please be careful to make sure nothing falls out of it onto other passengers.
• Keep your body in your seat, try not to stretch or fidget too much. No one likes a passenger that gets in their space!
• If you have older children, teach them beforehand how to behave during the flight. With younger children, such as babies and toddlers, it may be more difficult to explain to them, but try to comfort and keep them calm as much as possible.
• Leave your window’s shade alone if you get a window seat. Or you can discuss with the person next to you what they would prefer and then come to a compromise. Do not keep fussing with the shade!

Don’ts

• Keep your feet away from others. No one wants to smell, see or touch them. Please do not put your feet in other people’s personal space. The same goes for any body part. Keep it in your seat and to yourself. This is my top pet peeve especially when I see someone’s bare feet touching any part of the airplane seats. Just ICK!
• Place your carry-on bag near you, never in an empty seat, until the plane is completely boarded. It is rude to take up the space that someone else needs to sit in and makes for awkward conversation.
• Take smaller carry-ons if you can. The bigger the carry-on, the more space it takes up, and the more it will annoy those around you. Plus if you have a big carry-on/personal item, you will have to put it by your seat and there is not much room on airplanes these days for such a large personal item, to begin with, so you will be uncomfortable.
• Do not switch seats until everyone is seated and has their own seat claimed. Then it is okay to ask about switching seats around.
• Keep to yourself, do not over talk to the people next to you or near you if you do not know them. Keep an eye on their body language and facial reactions, if they show they want to be left alone, calmly end the conversation and keep to yourself. Or better yet, do not spark up a conversation, to begin with. Nobody likes a “Chatty Kathy”.
• If someone is reading a book, magazine, or on their computer, do not read over their shoulder. It is a pet peeve for many people and you probably would not like someone invading your privacy like that either.
• Try really hard not to kick or bump the seat that is in front of you. If you do it by accident, apologize profusely, otherwise.
• Do not jump ahead of others and try to be first off the plane. Do not push or shove people to get off the plane. Wait your turn, let those ahead of you go first, and wait until it is your turn, even if your luggage is in an overhead compartment in the front.

Those are just a few tips for in-flight etiquette. It’s just a lot of common sense and the Golden Rule “do unto others…”. You should always show good manners and try to be a pleasant passenger to others around you, hopefully, they will return the courtesy.

What are some of your pet peeves when flying?