Family Encyclopedia >> Travel

Things you should never do on a plane

We get it:Traveling is stressful. But it's not that stressful being able to do whatever you want on the plane. The next time you fly, make sure to keep the following annoying habits in mind and do what you can to avoid them.

Drinking too much
A glass of wine or beer or two is fine, but if you drink so much that you get drunk, it probably won't end well.

Watching someone struggle with their luggage
If you see that someone is clearly having a hard time fitting their hand luggage into the designated luggage compartments, and you are physically able, lend a hand.

Kick the chair for you
There are those people who can't sit quietly on the plane, but please stop kicking and bumping the seat in front of you. We all suffer from limited legroom. Have respect for the passenger in front of you and stop disturbing that person by kicking their seat.

Seize the armrest
Having to sit in the middle seat is annoying, but you have to remember that you are not entitled to both armrests. Make sure you share the armrests and leave room for the person sitting next to you.

Forcing a conversation
If you're traveling alone and you can chat with the person sitting next to you, that's great of course. But don't force it. If the people around you are clearly not interested in a conversation (if they are reading a book, watching television or listening to music), let them.

Put your chair in the reclined position with a speed
We're not saying you shouldn't recline your chair at all, just do it carefully. So instead of aggressively pushing your seat back, turn around and make sure the person sitting behind you doesn't have any food or drink on their tray that will fall onto their lap if you don't gently recline the seat.

Reading over someone's shoulder
Bring your own book or magazine on the plane and stop looking to see what your neighbor is reading. It's none of your business and is downright rude.

Let your kids play on an iPad without headphones
We understand that traveling with children can be challenging, but do your best to prevent them from wreaking havoc in the cabin. Yes, even if that means bribing.

Be rude to flight attendants
Stewardesses deal with many people every day. The least you can do is treat them the way you would want to be treated if you had their job. So turn off your phone when they ask and say “please” and “thank you” when you get your drinks and snacks – it really isn't that hard.

Go to the toilet often
There is nothing more annoying than getting up several times during a flight to let your neighbor up the aisle. Be sure to choose an aisle seat if you know you'll be making multiple trips to the toilet.

Eating stinky food
There is a time and a place for everything you want to eat. When you're crammed with a lot of people in a small space, it's neither that time nor that place. Try to stick to food that doesn't smell so bad on an airplane.

Bring too much hand luggage
First of all, how did you get through airport security? You really can't take too many bags on the plane; the luggage compartments are there for everyone and you should not take up too much space.

Lean on the person sitting next to you
Falling asleep leaning on the person sitting next to you is rude and makes them feel uncomfortable. If you tend to lean forward or fall to the side as you fall asleep, buy a travel pillow.