On a plane flight, you spend a lot of time in close quarters with strangers. People who fly regularly have a pretty good idea of the routine, but if you’ve never flown before, you might find yourself wondering what’s expected of you. In order to make your flight more enjoyable for you and your fellow passengers, stick to the following rules of plane-cabin etiquette.
– Mind your bag. When boarding the plane, carry your bag low and in front of you, or pull it behind you if it has wheels. Doing so will help ensure that you don’t knock your luggage into people already in their seats.
– Stow your bag nearby. You don’t have to use the overhead space directly above your seat, but try to use one as close to it as possible so that others can have easy access to their bags during the flight.
– Wait to recline your seat until you’re told you can, and recline it slowly. Also try to respect the needs of the person behind you. If they have particularly long legs or are traveling with a child on their lap, reclining your seat may make them extremely uncomfortable.
– Keep your seat upright during meals.
– Make sure your children aren’t bothering other passengers. Kids often don’t know what will annoy the people around them and may do things like jostle their neighbors’ seats without even realizing it. Long flights with children are difficult, but do your best to keep your kids relaxed and quiet with books, games, snacks, and other distractions.
– If you can’t share armrests comfortably, take turns or let the person in the middle seat have them. With seats as cramped as they are, some people end up battling for armrest space with their neighbors. If you have the window or aisle seat, consider only using the uncontested armrest. The person in the middle has little enough space already.
