Airline Etiquette (Part 1)
Recently, while having a conversation with a friend, she asked me some questions about etiquette on an aircraft. Being a FA, she thought I was the best person to ask. So I figured I’ll put together a list for her and anyone else who wants to know.
Pre-Flight:
A word of advice to busty passengers who barely wear anything and are practically popping out. Please at least TRY to dress appropriately. There are children around, so if you don’t want parents glaring at you or people giving you inappropriate stares, COVER UP!
Please for heaven sake, please shower before your flight! The air on board is recirculated during the flight! No one wants to sit beside a sweat-smelling neighbor. That is also true for someone not wanting to sit beside a person who showered in perfume/cologne. Just be considerate, avoid strong scents.
Pre-Boarding:
Please Do go use the washrooms BEFORE boarding. It is really disgusting to know that some pax, still insist on going to the lav during boarding, when there is NO running water! Seriously, you really NEED to wash your hands! I really hope this person isn’t sitting in the aisle seat at my row, cause if they were polite enough to pass me my drink from the FA, I don’t know if I should thank them for giving me my drink or grossing me out, just saying.
For those with babies, moms, dads, guardians, etc. If you need to feed your child, and require hot water for baby formula, there are plenty of shops around. Nowadays, you can’t go anywhere without seeing a ‘Tim Hortons’ or a ‘Starbucks’, go ask them for hot water. Don’t wait till boarding and demand that you get hot water, or that we should “microwave” some cold water, so that you could feed your “screaming-at-the-top-of-their-lungs” hungry baby. Yeah, that’s not happening. Chances are, the engines aren’t on yet, hence, no water, hot or cold. Plus, aircrafts don’t have “microwaves” on them, they have “ovens”.
A little side note, just in case you didn’t get the memo when you became parents. DIAPERS ARE NOT PROVIDED ON AIRCRAFTS, YOU MUST PROVIDE FOR YOUR OWN CHILD! I don’t think anyone wants to be sitting next to a baby with a stinky diaper for ANY length of time.
Boarding:
Board quickly. Don’t block the entrance just because you happen to see a friend and want to chat. 1. If it’s a long flight, you’ll get your chance in-flight. 2. If it’s a short flight, can you really not wait that 1-2hrs before you meet on the ground again?
Avoid hogging and stopping in the aisle. There is very little space aboard an aircraft to maneuver. Promptly put away your luggage and bags after you’ve found your seat, other passengers need to get to their seat too.
Put things that you may use often throughout the flight in the seat pocket or under the seat in front of you. It is really dangerous for passengers to decide (while the seatbelt sign is on) that they are suddenly cold and that they need to open the overhead bin to retrieve their jacket. Baggage may fall onto this ‘cold passenger’, the passengers around them, and the flight attendant who’s trying to get them to close the overhead bin. (Not a pretty picture.)
Do not carry on oversized baggage or too much luggage! Some people still insist on bringing aboard like 5 pieces of luggage or 1 gigantic piece (you know, where literally EVERYTHING is squished into that 1 piece). Be fair, if that other passenger next to you has to check-in his luggage because it was too big to fit in the bins or that he packed a little too much, you should too. There’s nothing more annoying that having to share your leg room and arm rest with someone else’s excess baggage.
Store your baggage under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin close to your seat. Do not put your luggage in a bin near the front of the aircraft, because that’s the first empty bin you see. By doing that , you are DELAYING the departure of the flight, because the passenger sitting at the front, will now have to wait for a flight attendant to find them a spot to store their baggage.
If you need to move someone else’s possessions while placing your belongings in the overhead bins, ask them! You wouldn’t like it if someone moved your stuff without asking, would you?
Place your jacket/coat/wrap/sweater/hat on top of you luggage in the overhead bins. Do not put them next to you luggage, that takes up too much space, besides, it’s easier to find.
Please sit in your assigned seat until everyone has boarded, you can switch seats after take-off. That way you know you’re not in someone else’s seat.
