Top 10 airplane etiquette rules

UNLESS you’re fortunate enough to be flying in a first class suite, air travel can often be a stressful and exhausting experience.

However, for those of us who can’t afford a luxurious upgrade, there are a few basic etiquette rules that can improve the comfort of your journey.

Follow them, and your next flight might just be pleasant — as long as everyone else follows them, too.

Respect the lavatory

Don’t be long and don’t make a mess. For your own health, avoid joining the Mile High Club – those bathrooms can be filthy!

Consider your odour

Keep in mind that overly strong cologne or perfume can be as unpleasant as body odour in close quarters. And if you’re picking up food before your flight, stick to something that doesn’t emit too much of a scent.

Keep your children in check

Parents, you may be exhausted, but they are your responsibility. For passengers with complaints: talk to the parents, don’t scold the kids. It’s not your place to correct the behaviour of a stranger’s child, and you will likely annoy the only people who can stop the kicking of your seat.

Think about how you choose to sleep

You may want to invest in a neck pillow to avoid winding up snoozing on your neighbour’s shoulder. If you’re in a middle or aisle sea, avoid using the tray table as a headrest, so your neighbour can’t get through without waking you up.

Middle seats get the armrests

Unlike the passengers in the aisle or window seat, whoever is in the middle seat has no room to stretch his or her feet or rest his or her hear. You can also help provide the middle passenger some mental space by not forcing him or her into conversation.

Get up only at a convenient time

Think ahead when planning your bathroom breaks. If you see a flight attendant with a cart in the aisle, stay put. It also goes without saying that getting up before the dinner trays have been collected is taboo.

Don’t hog the overhead bin

In the era of checked bag fees, carry on space is at a premium. Don’t take up someone else’s space by putting your bag in the bin horizontally, and if you have two bags, keep the smaller one at your feet.

If you must recline, do it carefully

Look behind you before reclining, and consider warning the fellow traveller whose space you are about to invade so that person can hang onto his or her drink or adjust his or her laptop. And stay upright during meals.

Don’t get hammered

Having a few drinks is a fine way to pass the time but keep yourself in check. You could possible annoy everyone around you, reeking of booze and needing to get up to use the lavatory every 20 minutes.

Be kind to the flight attendants

Flight attendants didn’t create the rules about stowing tray tables, wearing seat belts, and restoring seats back before landing. Giving them a hard time is obnoxious and can delay your take-off.

Information courtesy of Business Insider.