11 Basic Flight Etiquette Rules That Flyers Fail To Practice

In 2016, a record 3.7 billion people traveled to their destination via flights. Though the number of flyers increased significantly, the flyer experience did not. While some blamed the airline for it, most were just unfortunate to be traveling with the people they found on the flight. We hear etiquettes for school, work, and home, but are you aware of the etiquettes you should practice while flying while you spend hours trapped in a big vehicle with so many strangers? The answer may vary with people. 

Here are the 11 basic etiquettes for you to follow every time you board an aircraft.

#1. Don’t Hold the Check-in Line

With the web check-in option, which is offered by almost every airline these days, you can completely eradicate the problem of standing in a long queue at the check-in desk. If somehow you haven’t been able to complete this pre-flight formality online, make sure you do not waste yours and others' time at the counter. Keep your documents ready before your turn comes up and move ahead as soon as your boarding pass is handed to you.

(Image Courtesy: Daily Mail)

#2. Settle Down Quickly/Don’t Jam the Aisle

After the flight attendant points you to your seat, place your luggage in the overhead bin and settle down quickly. As your fellow passengers are trying to locate their seats, they need the narrow aisle to move around.

(Image Courtesy: Daily Mail)

#3. Don’t Fight for Bin Space

Bin is the overhead compartment where the Flyers’ hand luggage go. Space is limited so it is not uncommon to find people fighting for more area for their bags. If you are looking to fly peacefully, just place your one bag in the overhead compartment in a way that it takes the least space possible, and try to carry the smaller bag under the seat of the person sitting before you.

(Image Courtesy: The New York Times)

#4. Be Willing to Swap Seats

Some airlines charge extra fees for adjacent seats, making it difficult for families to sit together. In case you are traveling solo and someone asks you to switch places so they can fly with their family, be courteous and obliging.

(Image Courtesy: Reader's Digest)

#5. Don’t Invade Anyone’s Space

On a flight, you are confined to a very small space with a fellow passenger sitting just a few inches away from you. Jostling for the armrest is a common scenario. If you find yourself on an aisle seat, the least you can do for the person in the middle one is offer them the armrest.

(Image Courtesy: viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com)

#6. Stick to Your Seat

Remember how annoying it is when the person on the middle seat wants to use the washroom every half an hour? If you ever happen to be sitting in the middle seat, do not be that person. Or request swapping the seats if you are doing that for medical reasons.

(Image Courtesy: Wall Street Journal)

#7. Don’t Fight Flight Crew Over Electronics

We may never exactly understand how our smartphone could make a hundred-million-dollar aircraft to plummet from the sky but there must be a good reason why these safety measures are put into place. The air hostess does not have a vendetta against you and she is merely doing her job asking you to switch your phone off. No matter how important the mail is that you are checking, it cannot be more important than your safety.

(Image Courtesy: Woah World)

#8. Keep your Voice Low

While some people like to interact with fellow travelers on flights, some like to keep to themselves. If you ever happen to like getting to know the person sitting next to you, make sure your conversations do not bother the people sitting around you.

(Image Courtesy: Reader's Digest)

#9. Avoid Reclining

Reclining your seat back may render you some extra comfort but it can make things more difficult for the person sitting behind you. Therefore, if possible, avoid reclining your seat and if you must, be certain that no one is bothered by it.

(Image Courtesy: BBC)

#10. Don’t Snore

Snoring on a flight could invite a rude awakening from a fellow passenger or flight crew, and you do not want to spoil your day with it. If you are a chronic snorer, try to stay up during the flight, and if the flight is too long, ask the friend or family you are traveling with to wake you up in case your snores get too loud.

(Image Courtesy: Bloghotelengine.com)

#11. Don’t Rush while Deboarding

After your aircraft has landed, do not rush into deboarding. It’s not a race and you can surely afford a few extra seconds even if you are late for a meeting. Be considerate of others while retrieving your belongings from the overhead bin and remember to thank the flight crew for their warm hospitality.

(Image Courtesy: CNN.com)

(Featured Image Courtesy: Shutterstock)