Note: All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictions—please check federal, state and local advisories before scheduling trips. This article was updated May 12, 2021.
We’ve all been there. You get settled into your airplane seat and then that one passenger walks onboard and ruins what could have been a few hours of bliss. Smelly food eater, loud snorer, arm rest hog, laptop crusher — there is one on every flight. When did airplane etiquette get thrown out the window? Probably around the same time as those cute pillbox hats the Pan Am flight attendants used to wear.
Well, I’m here to remind you to treat each other with kindness while you fly together. What does that even mean? It means that you need to remember that there are others on the plane with you. And most of all, an airplane is not the place where you let those manners your mama taught you go to waste.
Be mindful of allergies
Allergies are a real thing, whether you believe it or not. Some people can react from the mere existence of a peanut in the air, while others have to come in contact or eat them to have a reaction. Many take every precaution, but as decent human beings, we could help them out too. On a recent flight, I pulled out a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. I paused for a moment and turned to the guy next to me and asked “do you happen to have a peanut allergy?” He replied no, and then thanked me for even thinking to ask. I then offered him some of my M&Ms (again, it’s polite at that point) and he declined, but it was in that moment that I realized we have lost our humanity when we fly. We don’t want to be inconvenienced and stop eating what we love, but what about how it effects everyone around us? Will it kill me not to eat peanuts for one flight? Nope.
Avoid onions and garlic
Just say no. Stop buying the smelly food. If I could ban all fast food, I would. It permeates the air and takes over the flight. All potent foods are not allowed. Nothing can get rid of that smell in your section, except the dreaded perfume spray, at which point we really have to ask which is worse, old onion food smell, or your strong perfume or cologne that will linger for days? You be the judge. But don’t eat or spray it near me. Stick with your bland basics when flying. Your neighbor and your stomach will thank you.
Respect the arm rest
There has been a long debate over who controls the arm rest on a flight. The aisle and window seats are easy. You get the outer armrest. Those middle arm rests are much trickier. Some say the middle seat should get access to both arm rests. Some say everyone should get the arm rest to their right or left (depending on the side of the plane you are on) since technically the window seat doesn’t have an arm rest. Others think you should be able to share. One person gets the front of the arm rest while another person gets the back of the arm rest. Let’s all just agree that the middle seat is the worst seat. If they want an arm rest, just give them an arm rest.
Tomato juice is the mistress of Murphy’s Law
Why, oh why, do airlines continue to serve tomato juice? Murphy’s Law states, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” Never was that so true when it comes to tomato juice. She courts Murphy’s Law and likes to play with him endlessly. Will that cup of juice spill or won’t it? Will you smell like stewed tomatoes the rest of the day or not? No one knows. But, do you really want to risk it? After all, tomato juice is also flirting with Newton’s Third Law Of Motion — “What goes up must come down.”
There is no salon on this plane
Ladies, there is not a salon on the plane. Please do not feel like you need to start one either. A plane is not where you do your own manicure and certainly don’t start clipping your toenails (this goes for you too, gentlemen!) or giving yourself a pedicure. Those fumes are noxious and no one needs to smell them. Don’t spray hairspray at your seat or perfume anywhere on the plane. Feel free to fix your hair in the bathroom, but not in any communal spaces.
Keep your knees to yourself
The middle seat is awful. We all get this. There is nothing worse than a very large man in that middle seat next to a very small person on the window or the aisle though, especially if the the window passenger is a woman. Let’s get one thing straight: Keep your legs together gentlemen. I understand that you are cramped. Go walk the aisles. Your size does not give you permission to wander your knees into my leg room territory. I should not have to squish into the aisle or up against the window to give your legs more room just so they aren’t rubbing up against mine. The lines of personal space have already been drawn. Stay within the boundaries of the seat in front of you and the lines of your own seat—period. I paid for my seat. You paid for yours. Stick to it.
The aisle is not extra legroom
We all know that airplane legroom is at an all-time minimum. First-class fares aren’t an option for everyone. Upgrades don’t happen as much as we would like. However, just because you have long legs, this does not mean you can stretch them out for the entire flight in the aisle. Moms are rushing kids to the bathroom, flight attendants are trying to bring that drink trolley back and forth, and the tired business traveler is just trying to stretch his legs without tripping over yours. Keep your legs to yourself and we will all be okay.
Give the laptop look back
Nothing is worse than settling in for a good work session and then having the seat in front of you come slamming back into your screen. Be kind. Give a simple look back to see where the person behind you is at, where their knees come to behind the seat, and give them a heads up that you will be going back. This gives them time to move their laptop so it is not crushed. Go slowly. There is no need to fly back. An extra second will still get you resting in no time.
My head is not a prop
How many times have you been jarred awake because the person behind you used your seat to pull themselves up? Once, twice, a few dozen times? We have all done it, but here’s what you need to know: Your seat is your seat. Not the seat in front of you. Not the seat behind you. Use your arm rest to help you up. Not the entire back of the seat in front of you, pushing it forward and then back up again. That person is sleeping, working, watching TV. They don’t need to be bothered by you getting up to go to the toilet five times during a two-hour flight.
Not all bags fit. Deal with it.
Not all bags fit in the overhead compartment, no matter how they are labeled in the store. My sister once sat on a delayed flight after a man jammed his bag so hard into the overhead bin, so convinced that it would fit, that he broke the lock mechanism. He delayed an entire plane full of people because he was running late, and just had to get his carry-on suitcase up there so he didn’t have to wait for his bag at his destination. Instead of asking for help, he broke the plane.
Many people missed their connecting flights, missed cruise departures, and were late for meetings. Worst of all, he didn’t even apologize to his fellow passengers. Gate check your carry-on bag. It is better to wait for your bag on the jetway or at baggage claim, than to delay an entire flight for over an hour because you broke a plane.
Fly friendly, my friends!
Keryn Means
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Thank you for the comment about not using the headrest in front of you to pull yourself up—this is a pet peeve of mine!
I understand your concern over your pet but why should I have suffer because pets are allowed in cabin. I always take allergy meds before a flight but still have a mild reaction . Have flew on flights with dogs .. no cats (Thank God) . I feel there should be flights that dont allow pets..so we have a choice instead of paying extra to change flight. Its bad enough with no leg room or knees in back or that person who wants all the arm rest or any of the other complaints listed in article
Me too!
Sometimes you have put your seat so far back, there is no way to squeeze through the remaining space for me to get through without grabbing your seat.
Be upset with your greedy airline.
That is true, I can’t stand up straight, I have to pull up with the other seat, I guess we just need to say we are sorry to that person.
What about people who are loud and never stop talking or laughing on a plane? Why no mention of that?
For people withbad knees and long legs they sometimes have no choice—I apologize in advance if you ever sit in front of me
Your pet peeve should be directed to your grredy airlines. If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
I agree with quite a bit of your comments. Simple common courtesy has just flown out the window!
However, the greediness of the airline’s us really what has gotten to me. Trapping people like sardines in a can, ushering us like cattle and attitudes of doing us a favor for servicing us for a beverage when it’s their job to do so is ludicrous.
Customer service, price gouging and entitlement attitude of airline employees and passengers is out of control.
Maybe people should start showing some human compassion, thoughtfulness and decency plain and simple.
If you can do it for yourself then do it for someone else. Make it real.
If you recline your seatback to within 3 inches of my face and close the gap between my seat and the armrest, there is no way to get up out of the seat without using your seatback to pull myself out.
On many flights I have paid extra for an asile seat. Why does the nitwit in the middle seat always take possession of both arm rests. On a recent flight I had had it. I finally spoke to this guy, who was also a leg spreader. “Would you mind if I had at least half the arm rest?” He just looked at me with distaste and went back to snoring and spreading his legs, gross……
my pet peeve besides the ones already mentioned is the passenger with 3 or more carry on bags
Your distain should be directed to the greedy airlines. If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
#11) When the Staff on the airplane says sit down and put your seatbelt on for take off, SIT DOWN!! Out of 300 passengers you think this is your private jet?? And your holding everyone up because your rude and selfish!! Listen to the Steward!!
Those stewards should remember who is paying their salaries. Their customer relations skills are almost completely absent. Not to mention the seating condition. People we are lucky that more passengers aren’t killing each other. It is too small, its often hot and other people just living in the seat next to us is too much. Mis directed article should be addressing the real issue. If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
Omgosh do you have anything of value to contribute? You’ve made the Same comment 4 times now. We hear you, now hush.
You mention peanut allergy – very rare but did not mention pet dander allergy – very common. The incidence of asthma flares (an even deaths) on airlines have increased in the decade or so since flying with pets has become routine.
Even those w/o life threatening allergies suffer with coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion headaches etc. recently flew on a middle east airline and was delighted I had no allergy symptoms and was even able to sleep!It was such a great flight experience. It turns out -they don’t allow pets!
Thus, from my perspective and the 15 -20% of US fliers with allergy to animal dander it would be very nice if etiquette would include letting your animals fly in the specifically designated and controlled cargo areas.
I don’t mind having pets fly there, but there are people who need the animals with them (such as those traveling with seeing eye dogs.)
Those specially designed areas for pets are not really pet friendly. And the design area has nothing to do with how the handlers handle the crates. I won’t subject my pet to rough handling nor to a scary ride in a compartment where things may slide around and bump into him. Because you do not know if you may come into contact with an animal during your travels, why not just take an allergy med before you get to the airport?
Allergy pills effect how i feel. Drowsiness is one of the big things. Pets should be in a certain area and then id know not to book there
Wow. If it were just that simple. It is not. Please be considerate of others.
Bottom line we need a regular humane amount of space. If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
I fly in first class and always book aisle seats. As it turns out I am often asked if I would mind moving to a window so that a couple or a pair of friends or co-workers who didn’t plan their flight arrangements to be seated together can be seated together. My answer is always to pleasantly decline. I simply tell them, “No. I prefer this seat.” I book aisles for a reason, but I don’t feel like as though I need to justify myself. No, after all, can be a complete sentence.
So what’s the problem? In my experience well over half of the people who ask others to move act surprised when I tell them no and I am often treated to a display of attitude from the person next to me for much of the flight.
Here’s my tip: if you ask a favor of a stranger and they decline, accept that graciously. If you somehow think that I owe it to you to accommodate you, by all means tell your friends what a jackass I was for not instantly making your lack of planning my problem. But while you’re sitting next to me, do your best imitation of an adult.
Love it!
Totally agree with you sir
Snooteeee! They WILL remember that when the plane goes down and they are assigned the emergency exit job. GOOD LUCK!
I totally agree with you however if someone asks you to move to less desirable seat I would reply by asking if the change of seat would allow me an isle seat if not the decline the offer. This would acknowledge your preference for the aisle seat and place the burden back on their shoulders
Happy Flying
I always book aisles because of DVT problems. If you want me to move then you have to graciously get your ass out of my way because I’m not crawling over you to stand and walk every half hour. I never have a problem if I move over or they graciously accept my demand.
Unless you were “blessed” with a center of gravity down by your knees, I defy you to get out of the tiny airplane seat without at least balancing a bit on the seat in front of you. Add to trying to climb over the passenger next to you, and it is nearly impossible.
I have another one to add that I would have never thought would be necessary until I spent 9 hours on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. A passenger decided to toilet train their kid right in the aisle of the passenger cabin!? On what planet would anyone think the rest of the passengers would not be bothered by smelling your kids crap for 9 hours? We still cannot fathom why the flight crew permitted this, and Lufthansa seemed quite unconcerned when we complained about it. Next time we fly a different airline- any different airline.
That really is horrid. Mom has no common sense. Geez.
I agree. I am older and have to hold on when getting up but I am very careful to do it gently. Also I am almost six feet tall and all legs. The person writing this article is probably shorter. Try sitting in an airplane with your knees being jammed into the seat in front of you for hours. Have some courtesy for us who have to have aisle seats and stretch our legs out. As long as we always pull the leg back in when anyone comes, we should not be a bother to others.
What I don’t think is fair to me and others is when the airlines are now charging their customers for their seats in coach, and for your choice to want to sit next to your spouse, and or family member like your child they airlines are charing more and ripping off the public left and right for a few more dollars more, and as well as for your luggage, and baggage carry-on base on their weight and size, and how many pieces to can bring aboard the plane. I’m a Senior Citizen, and Frequent flyer customer with many years traveling on Muti Airlines. I’m also a type 2 diabetic and require a lot of water during my travels and I’m stop because of the water that I do bring with me and only when I tell them that I’m diabetic I can only bring one bottle of water and you are require to purchase more waters when I pass the check points.
I hear you. I am a diabetic and i too need to drink drink drink. Airlines are way to greedy! If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
You’ve made the same comments 6 times now. We get it, only 9 out of 10 people fly first class because they have 6 figures. I wouldn’t be surprised if I see your comments again as I continue reading everyone else whine.
You post the same thing over and over (and over!) again. I imagine your behavior on a flight is equally self centered and annoying.
What about: speaking with your inside voice (even better as if inside a library or church)? I’m always amazed and annoyed and agitated by people who think everyone should be subjected to their conversations. Thank goodness we don’t allow cell phone use in flight. And people who tap tap tap on their keyboards , and people whose computers light up a dark airplane. And in addition to the smelly foodies what about the gum smackers, or card shufflers, or any number of otherwise invasive activities . Hopefully everyone who’s flying on my upcoming LAX to Australia flight reads your article! I believe there should be a etiquette bible in the seat pocket along with the barf bag and emergency card.
We need to ban flying for a day or two so the greedy airlines can adjust their seat configurations. NO MORE SARDINES! If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
Great recommendations!
This not really about etiquette……however, it would prevent a lot of noise,if the flight cabin crew would let parents with a baby know that if they feed the baby a bottle of whatever liquid they prefer, during the descent prior to landing the swallowing will allow the baby’s ear pressure to adjust….unless the baby has a cold.
Sounds like y’all need some earplugs and allergies meds.
Parents who choose not to sit with their young children while the children kick backs of seats and talk in loud uncontrolable voices. Flight attendants are not babysitters. I’ll choose a well behaved pet as a seatmate.
Yes, I have grandchildren and pets!!!!!
I don’t know of anyone who chooses not to sit with their children. However, I have often dealt with airlines that tried to separate me from my young children. Luckily, I have always found someone willing to trade seats so that I can monitor my children rather than making them involuntary babysitters.
Airlines always try to seat families together ! Even if you didn’t book your seats as a family ahead of time. If you come late and there are only single seats left I would advise arrive earlier. I know it’s hard with kids. But airlines don’t go out of their way to separate you from your kids ! It just creates problems for everyone …
Etiquette: respecting everyone else. But, seats are closer and closer together, and more people are over 6 feet tall and slightly overweight, making squeezing together impossible to avoid entirely. I have to unbend my knees and ankles from time to time so carefully shove my feet forward under the seat ahead as far as possible, and occasionally carefully and just for a few moments extend my leg into the aisle, watching for anyone coming by.
If possible, I always choose a window seat. Usually I fly across the continental United States, so it’s rarely more than five and a half hours (flying west). In that length of time I rarely need the lavatory. Once I’m settled in my window seat with its nice view, I won’t have to navigate the tight knee space, shuffling my feet sideways, until it’s time to deplane. Since full meals are pretty much nonexistent on domestic flights and I don’t want to pay ten dollars for a cold wilted sandwich, I bring my own snacks and make sure they aren’t aromatic. I know it’s currently trendy to take umbrage at the idea that people (women) are discouraged from ‘taking up space’, but seating IS ridiculously tight in coach. I try to stay within my seat boundaries and get into a really good novel so I won’t feel restless or bored. Despite flight quality being nothing like it was in the 70’s or 80’s, I do enjoy flying. I always did.
I agree!!!!! We need a humane amount of space in that tightly enclosed hunk of metal. If the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
I had a window seat and I’m a six foot man. A man not any bigger than me sat in the middle. He wasn’t overweight, but he spread his leg out rubbing against mine the whole flight. I felt he had some type of complex and to feel good about his manhood was trying to exercise Alpha Male dominance over me.
Dude the seating area is just to damned cramped and that is allIf the greedy airline companies wouldn’t try to pack us in so tight we could be more courteous. A 6ft tall man can’t fit in that space. We all are packed in tighter than sardines and it is often sweltering hot in there, YOU CAN HARDLY MOVE. The seat in front of you is 12 inches in front of your face, you tend to get grouchy. It is NOT ENJOYABLE. You can’t relax. You cant get on the laptop. You can’t do a thing and breathing is hard. Too many people stuffed in a plane!!! Then to top it all off you have to pay extra for a suitcase. The airlines couldn’t care less about their customers. The stewardess acts like you are a street urchin beggar when you ask for a little water. Flying is no longer an enjoyable experience. Greedy. Greedy. Greedy. Don’t even get me started with First class. 9 times out of 10 those seats are empty. Probably because a first class ticket is 3 times the price of a sardine seat. Those I guess are for the top 3 percent of us whose income is in the higher 6 figures.
Irony – they serve peanuts on every flight.
No, peanuts are not served on every flight!
I agree with every one of these pet peeves. Sadly, in the quest to wring out as much profit-per-seat as possible, the airlines are responsible for many of these irksome aspects of flying in today’s skies. Please, bring back the stringent controls on carry-on baggage. Every time I fly now, at the gate it is easy to spot the passengers who are so loaded down with oversize bags that there is no way that they will fit it all into their fair share of overhead bins–and many will obviously not fit at all. C’mon airlines, you started this business of charging for check-in bags so now you have to police the overloads and oversized at the gate, and not after boarding. It has gotten so bad that I can generally spot the trouble-makers long before boarding, including those who will plant their feet in the aisle and block the rest of the boarders while stowing their bags (note the plural) in a space not designed to fit them. As for the variety of smelly cuisines that we are now offended with whilst flying, also to be laid at the feet of the airlines who are now charging exorbitant rates for a paltry sandwich in the air. I recently spoke to someone who had be sitting next to a man, on a flight to JFK NY from Seattle, who opened and consumed an entire small turkey he had brought aboard. There should also be a list accessible to all airlines of people who consistently violate the “smells and oversized suitcase” rules and those who feel the best place to be during a flight is in the aisle, talking over someone else’s head to the person in the window seat. This list would be used to ban consistent offenders from any seats but the ones in the way back, the worst offenders being allowed only in the middle seats. It would not take long to curtail this behavior. Bottom line is, however, that the airlines have caused most of these problems so they need to come up with the solutions to protect the majority who practice in-flight courtesy.
There is a proper way to unload an aircraft. It starts from the front, and proceeds row-by-row to the back of the plane, with the aisle seats alternately exiting first, then the middles, then windows. It is helpful and most expeditious if those standing in the aisle do not attempt to exit while the forward rows are still disembarking.
I totally agree with the comment about having to grab the back of the seat in front of you when it has been reclined so that there is about three inches between the seatback and the armrest. It is impossible to get up without using the seatback to pull yourself up out of the seat.
What’s the proper etiquette or courtesy for deplaning. Why are the people in the rear always the first out of their seats trying to ease past others.
The main passenger issue is lack of space. One solution could be to fairly require ALL airlines to insure a minimum 32″ pitch and 18″ width in every Basic Economy seat. Then airlines can compete for any further space and service beyond that minimum.
Full Economy could be 33″, Premium Econ 34″, Business 35″ , Business Plus 36″ to 38″, and First up to 45″ . No commercial passenger airline would be allowed to offer less, so it’s an “even playing field”. Revenue per seat mile would be based on the same standard.
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All of my flights are 5+ hours long. Keeping my legs together for that long is just impossible. I have come up with a simple solution for this. I pack a thick nylon utility belt with a large plastic clasp in my carry on and use it to strap my legs together. It’s fairly comfortable and beats trying to squish my legs together for over 5 hours.
Oh, if only common sense was so common.
What about when people stick their feet all the way through, under the seat in front of them—or their bag widens at the top or bottom, so the passenger in the seat in front is unable to put his/her feet down right in front of his/her seat without playing footsie with the passenger behind (or with that passenger’s bag)? Is there a protocol for that?
Unfair comment on men spreading legs. Some of us need more… space.
Nice reminders. Some I hadn’t thought about. Wish more would take the time to read. Simple things can make a big difference. Thank you
Speaking of allergies: please, PLEASE, do not douse yourself with scented anything and no perfume! We are all stuck in a metal tube with recirculated air and those of us with perfume and/or scent allergies have nowhere to go when you get on the plane with your perfume bath.
Thanks for these reminders. Can’t believe people still wear heavy perfume! The note about the upper luggage storage–there is a way to put your bags up there, and it’s NOT sideways. If it doesn’t fit and the flight is full, it is proper and polite to stash the bag in the hold, not cram it into the storage bin. And when they say your coats don’t belong up there, they mean it! What’s wrong with people being courteous!
Be aware of the volume on your children’s electronic devices. Nobody wants to hear kids games while their parents are oblivious to the sound because the parents have earbuds in the ears and can’t hear it. People should also keep the seats in a upright position.
Be courteous of others on the plane, really nobody wants to hear your phone conversation with you recline in your seat with one hand over the top of your headrest.
1. The best first class food is still either reheated from a ground prepared meal, or made by (albeit trained) airline crew. So really, how good can it be in absolute terms? Why would you over-indulge on it? 1st class lounge food is also limited to above average, if you are a foodie. Nothing compared to starred/hatted restaurants.
2. Don’t get into a fight, walk around shirtless, get high on drugs in cabin or piss drunk….. why would any business class passenger have no idea about not doing any of this? Are you aiming this “article” at adolescents?
3. Kids in first class that scream and cry are unfortunate for the rest of the passengers. Their rich parents feel the right the indulge their kids. The rest of the cabin feel an undervaluation of the ticket price as a result. Both are valid points of view. Conflict is the way of the world. This is not limited to first class.
4. Don’t break wind in 1st class? I am sorry. Everybody farts. Especially when flying, due to pressure changes. It cannot be helped. This includes the queen, or Princess Diana, or anyone with a gentle classy image. They all fart mid air. It’s part of human physiology. Some 1st class products might have a separate bedroom and shower. None has a separate pressure chamber, as far as any business class passenger knows.
5. Propositioning attendants for sex – unacceptable midair whether in business class or 1st. Charmingly optimistic, if in economy. But what happens after the flight in private isn’t anyone’s business.
When did airplane manners become so bad? Gee, I dunno — could it be when the seats got so thin and the aisles so narrow that you cannot see your book if the seat in front of you has been tilted back? And you HAVE to grab it to get up because there’s no vertical space? And you get cramps in your leg so you NEED that extra space you didn’t pay for? And as for smelly takeon food — well, when the airlines gave you a meal, that didn’t happen, did it?
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