Flight attendants have seen it all: passengers who are normally well-mannered, sophisticated travelers turning into unruly children when airline seats are crowded and flights are booked solid. Traveling by plane often means small seats, cramped spaces and shortened tempers, but with proper air travel etiquette, the travel experience can be pleasant for everyone.
Check as much luggage as you can and carry on just one or two small items. For ladies, a purse and a shoulder bag that holds a good book, light snacks and a water bottle may be enough. Parents might think that those miniature pink or blue-wheeled suitcases are cute for a trip to Grandma''s, but they clutter up the baggage compartments and the scant storage space under the seats.
Are you planning to mash everyone else''s luggage so you can fit in all the souvenirs you bought in Zimbabwe? Both your souvenirs and your fellow passengers will fare better if you ship those items home from overseas rather than hogging the luggage bins.
For all the excitement and adventure surrounding airline flights to exotic locales, the discomfort of air travel can leave you screaming for mercy as you thump the call button, hoping the flight attendant can salvage the trip with a few drinks and a fuzzy blanket. Ask yourself, though, what you could do to make other passengers'' air travel just a bit more pleasant.
When boarding or leaving your seat, remember that each time you squeeze yourself past a fellow passenger or vault over two sets of knees to buckle in and prepare for departure, you''re bumping into seat backs, stepping on toes and bopping people on the head. Airline flights are bumpy enough without an elephant shaking your seat and kneeing you in the kidneys.
Take your time, offer polite apologies and keep your sense of humor. You''ll find that others around you will relax and appreciate the humor, even commiserating at the difficulty of stowing baggage with grace when space is severely limited.
If you have to get up and walk around or use the lavatory during the flight, airplane etiquette says to avoid standing in front of the movie screen while others are trying to watch.
Most passengers cringe at the thought of being seated anywhere near a crying infant for the duration of a flight. If you''re flying with an infant, avoid the mistake of appeasing the child with food and drink before takeoff. If the baby''s thirsty, he''s more likely to suck lustily on his bottle at takeoff, avoiding the excruciating earache that often accompanies cabin decompression. Childless flight attendants try to help by heating bottles and offering snacks, but kids get full fast and refuse a drink just when they need it most.
If you need to change a diaper, ask the flight attendant where you might accomplish this without ruining everyone''s meal. And dispose of soiled diapers carefully. You may have to zip them into a plastic bag and carry them off the plane for later disposal.
You can make air travel fun for older kids by taking along games and books that they haven''t played or read before. Toy cell phones can let kids pretend they''re calling ahead to Grandma and (quietly) telling her what goes on before, during and after airline flights.
Everyone will appreciate you if you keep your children under control. Bothering sleeping passengers is a definite no-no. Kicking the seat in front of them or standing on the seat and bothering the passengers behind them are also taboo behaviors for children.
Children Under Two Most airlines allow children under the age of two to fly free. Of course that means the child will have to spend the entire trip on a parent''s lap. Take this into consideration, especially if it''s going to cause discomfort to you or your child (which may result in crying).
Most airlines allow children under the age of two to fly free. Of course that means the child will have to spend the entire trip on a parent''s lap. Take this into consideration, especially if it''s going to cause discomfort to you or your child (which may result in crying).
If your house has a bathroom for each inhabitant, you''re probably not used to waiting in line and sharing a facility. Avoid shaking up the occupant by rattling the door or knocking. Secure the latch so others know when you''re occupying the cubicle.
After using the lavatory, use your paper towel to wipe the sink as a courtesy to the next passenger. If supplies run out on a long flight or a lavatory needs attention, let a flight attendant know right away.
Cell phone use is currently banned on airline flights. Many suspect that cell phone transmissions interfere with the proper functioning of airline equipment. The FCC is looking into lifting the ban on cell phones in flight, but further studies are currently underway. Until then, keep your six-week romance in Rome to yourself until you''re back on the ground. It''s highly doubtful the other passengers on the plane would want to hear about it anyway.
Do what you can to make your flight attendant''s job easier. Avoid calling for assistance during takeoff and landing unless you have an emergency.
If the flight''s bumpy, it''s bumpy for everyone; the flight attendant can''t do much about it unless you''re about to throw up and can''t find the little white bag. And don''t expect the flight attendant to move the serving cart all the way down the aisle so you can squeeze by and go to the lavatory. Plan ahead.
Proper airplane etiquette can earn you some extra brownie points with the flight attendant and with your fellow passengers: