Air travel is a relaxing and fast way to get to your destination. However, when other travelers seem to have forgotten their in-flight etiquette, trips can become less than pleasant. Have you heard of the saying that the journey is the destination? What if you’re traveling on an airplane and the person beside you won’t stop staring at your laptop, invading your personal space, hogging the armrests, or won’t stop chatting with you? Is the entire trip ruined? I certainly hope not. Here are some things to remember in the unwritten rules of air travel.
- When boarding the plane, board quickly carry your bag in front as you walk down the aisle towards your seat; holding it beside you is a sure way to bump other passengers who are already seated.
- Before reclining your seat, it wouldn’t hurt to either look first or even ask permission to do so. Yes, it is your seat and you paid for it, but it is simple courtesy to check first with the person behind you if it’s ok. I’ve had two instances of getting my head bumped by a reclining seat while I was picking up something that I dropped, and very often do we see laptops almost getting crushed with the same scenario.
- Armrests were made to separate the seats, not as a place to rest your elbows on. If it were, every seat would have its own.
- Observe proper hygiene on travel day. Who would want to sit next to a person who smells like gym socks on an eight-hour flight? On the flipside, lay off on heavy perfumes, aftershaves and colognes.
- Be polite and courteous to the flight attendants. If you have any questions, try asking them while you are being served instead of ringing the bell unnecessarily. Say please and thank you, and don’t forget to smile and thank them for the flight.
- If you have a cold or a cough, cover your face whenever you do so and use hand sanitizers too. If you really have to travel while you’re sick, make an effort to minimize the contagion.
- Before leaving the airport, make sure that the luggage you took at the baggage claim is actually yours. You wouldn’t want to have to chase someone down in a busy airport because he/she took your suitcase by mistake. On the flip side, you wouldn’t want to get to your hotel room after a tiring flight only to find out that all the clothes in your suitcase, and the suitcase, are not yours.
Traveling is and can be a fun experience, so try to make it as pleasant as possible for yourself and for people traveling around you. If you can, try to be of some assistance to other passengers who you see are having difficulties either with their luggage, their seat, etc. And always extend the courtesy and respect you’d like others to extend towards you.
Have a safe trip!