Let’s face it: The privilege of flying comes with some unwritten rules. Or at least it should. Airline travel may not be as swanky as it used to be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all strive to be better when it comes to our behaviour on a plane. A recent survey by The Vacationer breaks down the do’s and don'ts of airplane etiquette and dives into some of those irritating habits of our fellow travellers. We’re sharing their top five areas of annoyance and weighing in with our take on how you can commit to being a considerate passenger. Have annoyances that didn’t make the list? We want to hear all about them. Shoot me a note on Twitter or Instagram (@byheathergd).
5 In-Air Personalities…and How to Handle them
These are among the most common in-air frictions. What would you do?
1. The Seat Sacrificer
When you booked your flight, you took the time to choose your ideal seat - maybe it’s the aisle, maybe you prefer the window. Perhaps you love sitting in the front of the plane or in an exit row seat where there is more leg room. Now, imagine it’s travel day and you’ve boarded your flight. Someone approaches you and asks you to trade seats - is there a scenario where you would be willing to give up your seat to someone else?
According to the survey by The Vacationer, approximately 35% of travellers said they would be willing to give up their seat so a family could sit together. Just over 10% said they would move so a couple without children could be seated together. Reader’s Digest agrees with this etiquette and notes that the family split could have been caused by the airline blocking seats in the first place. Nearly 30 % said they would move in either scenario. On the other hand, just over 25% admitted they would not switch to a worse seat.
The GTM Take: It depends. If there’s no harm or if it helps someone who really needs it (a young child and a parent, or someone who may need extra assistance) or if I’m just in a good mood, I’ll consider the switch. It’s the rare situation that would see me give up a window for a middle though.
2. The Barefoot Flyer
When hopping on a flight, we do our best to get comfortable - popping on an eye mask, grabbing a neck pillow and getting cozy under a blanket…but is it okay to take that one step further and take off your shoes and/or socks? According to the survey, approximately 64% of flyers prefer to keep their shoes on while flying. On the flip side, nearly 27% of flyers will take off their shoes, while almost 10% will go as far as to take off their socks too. It might be worth swinging by the airport shop to pick up some fuzzy slippers or check out this article by SmarterTravel for some recommendations on perfect indoor/outdoor travel slippers.
The GTM Take: Longhaul flight with slippers available? I’ll make the switch. But most times my shoes (though loosened) are staying on. And at no time, would I wander the plane aisles without shoes, nevermind barefoot. While we’re at it…people who put their naked feet up on the armrests of the row ahead or opt to clip nails during flights should be outrightly banned. Not cool.
3. The Overhead Bin Blockers
A necessity when travelling is stowing your bags in the overhead compartments, but which ones are acceptable to use? Is it okay to place your luggage in the bins that are located several rows ahead of your seat…possibly even those in first class or premium economy? According to this survey, nearly 43% stick to the bins near their seats. However, more than 57% of Americans feel fine using the compartments several rows ahead of their seat. For some, this is a result of running late or if a flight is full. For approximately 16% of those flyers, this is a practice that they always do. CNN Travel recommends considering checking your bags, especially if they are large and take up lots of space within the overhead compartments.
The GTM Take: I’m a carry-on only girl whenever possible, and I’m a rule follower so I abide by the “one above your seat/one below the seat in front of you” rule. If I get to my row and the bins are full, I’ll find the next nearest. Knowing I’m in row 27 and sticking a bag at row 1? Not going to happen. Plus, I want to make sure that I can easily keep an eye on my prized possessions during the flight.
4. The Seat Recliners
You’ve just gotten on your plane after a rush through the airport or a fun, but exhausting vacation. All you want to do is kick back, relax and maybe take a nap. Do you push that recline button? According to this survey, nearly 46% of travellers think it’s rude to recline and choose to forgo it. Tripsavvy notes that this small choice can cause a domino effect of everyone having to recline due to limited personal space. As a possible alternative, you could follow the lead of approximately 28% of Americans who will politely ask for permission before reclining. As for the remaining 26%, they choose not to give it a second thought and recline away!
The GTM Take: I know this one is controversial. 99% of the time, I’m not reclining. We all have such limited space, it doesn’t feel fair. On a longhaul flight I’ll consider it and will give the person behind me notice before inching back. I’ve been the recipient of unexpected reclines that damage a computer or spill a drink. Not fun.
5. The Armrest Wrestlers
The dance of the armrests is an important one, especially for those passengers in the middle seat. Thankfully, nearly 93% of window or aisle seat passengers always (or at least sometimes) sacrifice their own arm comfort to accommodate those in the middle. Reader’s Digest recommends keeping to your personal space as well and having some compassion for those stuck in the middle. For that other 7%, they stake their claim and refuse to relinquish those armrests.
The GTM Take: Middle seat owns the armrests. It’s the least we can do.
Looking for more? I shared some of my airplane etiquette thoughts with The Globe and Mail.
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