This is the time of year when the infrequent flyers are out in full force, so if you are used to the obstacle course of travel, pack some extra patience, it will come in handy at the t-s-a checkpoint lines and at the lavatory lines onboard the airplane.
In order to keep the peace between the frequent and not-so-frequent flyers, here are a few rules of plane etiquette:
Respect each other’s space. The economy cabin can make you feel like a canned sardine, but that’s no excuse for being obnoxious. Be aware of where “your” space ends and your seatmate’s space begins. Place your belongings under the seat in front of “you.”
If your seat assignment is at the back of the plane, your luggage belongs back there too! One of my biggest pet peeves is people who stuff their bags in the overhead bins at the front of the plane, then walk rows and rows back to their seat. Please don’t be that person.
The barf bags have more than one use. When passing items to the flight attendant to throw away, don’t shove your trash in your seatmate’s face, and put especially messy or germ-filled items in the air-sickness bag found in your seat back pocket “before” handing them to your neighbor.
If you want to recline your seat back, do it slowly, and politely. Consider giving the person behind you a heads up, so that any drinks or other items don’t end up crashing into their lap when you suddenly press the button and push back.
Keep your socks on. And if you’re not wearing socks, pack some in your carry-on. Even if you had a pedicure on your way to the airport, no one wants to see your feet, trust me. And by the way, same goes for the TSA checkpoint. It’s not good hygiene to walk through the security machines barefoot.
Finally, treat the lavatory as you would the bathroom in a friend’s home and wipe up your messes. Remember, it’s not your private changing room or make-up salon, so spending excessive time in there is unfair to other passengers.
Here’s hoping you’re seated next to someone who follows these rules on your next flight.
I’m Stephanie Oswald and I’d love to hear from you. If you have a travel dilemma, send your question to travelgirl@digital-stage.wgno.com