Tips for being a more considerate airline passenger

.

Every time I fly, I notice the little inconsiderate things that my fellow passengers do.  I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me.  We’re becoming an increasingly myopic society overall, so why shouldn’t that extend to air travel?  I know some people don’t care if their behavior negatively impacts other people, because they’re narcissists.  But I honestly believe that most people are decent human beings who just aren’t aware of how some of their behaviors impact others–and if they did know, they would change that behavior.

With that in mind, here are ten of my suggestions of ways to be a more considerate airline passenger.

1. Please do bathe, but don’t wear perfume, cologne, or other scents when you fly. Believe it or not, many people are now allergic to scents, or if not allergic, at least easily irritated by them.  Being trapped in an enclosed space with someone who reeks of perfume is torture.
2. Please don’t bring peanut products or smelly foods onboard. Many people are allergic to peanut products.  Even being in the vicinity of someone eating peanut butter could throw them into an allergic reaction. (Yes, I know, some airlines serve peanuts, but they’re just begging for a lawsuit.)  And smelly food is. . .well smelly.  Maybe you love the smell of fish and garlic, but trust me, not everyone does.  And once that smell sets up residence on the plane, it’s not leaving for the rest of the flight.
3. Silence is golden. I don’t mind a little conversation with a seatmate; in fact I actually enjoy it.  I think it’s the friendly and polite thing to do, to acknowledge the existence of the person you are sitting next to for the next few hours. But unless the two of you really hit it off, there comes a time when you really need to cut off the chatter and let the other person take a nap, watch a movie, listen to music or just be alone with their thoughts.   If you’ve been doing most of the talking, it’s up to you to initiate the silence, too.  If your seatmate really wants to continue the conversation, they’ll let you know.
4. Cell phones.  God Almighty, I am so annoyed by cell phone use in public.  Is it really necessary for you to get on your cell phone as soon as the plane touches the runway to let someone know you’ve landed, or could it perhaps wait until after you disembark the plane?  I’m 100% sure it could wait.  If you absolutely can’t stop yourself from letting someone know you’re on the tarmac, why not text them instead?  That way, you don’t annoy the people around you.
5. Don’t drink to excess.  Maybe you like a cocktail to calm your nerves because you don’t like to fly, or you want to start celebrating your vacation early. Fine.  Just don’t have more than one or two.   None of us wants to believe we’re obnoxious drunks, but most of us are. At the very least, most people get LOUD when they’ve been drinking; at the worst, they think it’s funny to start talking about shoe bombs or tugging on exit doors and wind up being tackled by flight attendants.
6. Carry on the right-sized luggage.  Measure your suitcase before your trip so you know if it’s really the right size to fit in the overhead bin.  Include the wheels and any other projections in your measurements.  Be sure it can fit lengthwise in the overhead bin. (Hint:  You should not have to wrestle it like an alligator to get it to fit.)  If it will only fit sideways, you are taking up someone else’s space in the bin.  Imagine if everyone brought luggage that was just a little too long or overstuffed and there wasn’t enough room in the overhead bins and the flight attendants had to start making people go back and gate-check some items.  What kind of a mood do you think everyone would be in for that flight?
7. Wait until your row has been called. Rows and seating assignments are called in a certain order for a reason–to make the boarding process quicker and smoother.  When you get into line out of order, it messes things up for everyone else, and the plane may not depart on time, which means somebody may miss their connecting flight.
8. Arrive at the airport well in advance of your flight.  This should be obvious.  If you’re late, either you will miss your flight, or you will hold up the plane while they wait for you.  If the latter happens, it impacts everyone else’s schedule. Your tardiness could cause someone else to miss a flight.  And that’s just not cool.
9. Don’t linger in the aisle. Once you’ve boarded the plane and found your seat, please get out of the aisle as quickly as possible.  Otherwise, you’re creating a traffic jam and if everyone did that, the plane would depart late and someone might miss their connecting flight.  (Are you sensing a trend here?)
10. Keep your viruses to yourself. If you have a cold or the flu or a stomach virus, you probably shouldn’t be flying.  If you can change your travel plans, please do so.  If you can’t, at least be considerate and try not to spread your germs to everyone else.  Sneeze into the crook of your arm, cover your mouth when you cough, take some medicine to control your symptoms, and bring plenty of antibacterial wipes–and use them.

Imagine what a wonderful world of flying it would be if everyone practiced the above habits.