Rules of etiquette: how you should never behave on an airplane

Anything can happen when traveling - from flight delays and lost luggage to uncontrollable passengers who behave rudely and unmannerly. The latter significantly spoil the flight experience: the journey begins to seem more like a hassle than a pleasant adventure.

There are rules of etiquette on an airplane as well. Probably, each of us has sat next to someone who did not know about personal space or allowed himself to behave in an unmannerly manner while traveling. USA Today has shared how you should never behave on an airplane.

To find out what behavior on an airplane should be avoided, the travel planning company Skyscanner conducted an interesting survey. They asked 2,000 Americans who have traveled on vacation in the last three years what passenger behavior on the plane was particularly annoying.

Reserved seats

Let's imagine a situation: you bought a ticket and chose your preferred aisle seat with the perfect distance to the restroom - you may have even paid extra or booked a seat in advance. And now, when you board, someone asks (or even demands) that you change seats with them for one reason or another. According to 31% of American travelers, this is quite offensive. Of course, there may be force majeure cases: for example, when an accompanying person wants to sit next to a sick person, or parents want to sit next to small children.

Using both armrests

Many of us have probably encountered a neighbor who takes up both armrests - it's annoying. Almost a third of American travelers say that using both armrests is rude, even if you're sitting in a bad middle seat. According to one airline analyst, these armrests "don't belong to anyone" and are part of the common space of the plane.

You may be tempted to book an exit seat, but keep in mind that these armrests cannot be raised.

Seat recline

Seat recline is also a controversial topic. According to Skyscanner, just under a third of travelers don't want the passengers in front of them to recline their seats. Some say it's "reckless" to recline unless you're in first class or a seat with extra legroom, especially since some travelers are already cramped in their seats. If you hope to recline during the flight, we recommend asking the person behind you if you can recline the seat a little.

Removing shoes or socks

A survey found that 35% of travelers would be very unhappy if you took off your shoes or socks. A similar survey by KAYAK in July yielded similar results. Approximately three-quarters of survey respondents said that removing socks is unacceptable.

Unwanted conversation

Many travelers are unhappy with chatty neighbors. Skyscanner found that 4 out of 10 people believe that talking to strangers is the third most offensive thing about traveling.

Using a speakerphone

The most offensive behavior on an airplane is receiving calls on speakerphone. By the way, the phone should be turned off for most of the flight. However, passengers increasingly disregard this rule: they make phone calls or even chat in video chat without headphones.

Personal grooming

According to a Skyscanner survey, personal grooming ranks first in terms of the most offensive behavior on an airplane. This includes painting nails, cutting nails, and shaving.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL talked about 10 things you should never wear while traveling abroad.

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