ADVERTISEMENT

Following flying etiquette is important because it ensures a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone on board. By focusing on little things like respecting each other's personal space and keeping noise levels down, passengers can make a big difference in creating a pleasant atmosphere, which also allows the crew to be more efficient and might even help prevent certain delays. However, common courtesy is not always that common. So in an attempt to facilitate it, we at Bored Panda dug around Reddit and put together a list of rules that frequent flyers believe every traveler should know.

Continue scrolling to check them out and don't miss the talk we had with travel writer and photographer Jon Miksis, who shares his adventures on the blog My Global Viewpoint.

#1

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp If your kid kicks my seat one more god dam time I'm going to turn around and tell him Santa's not real.

Control your sh** bags.

playground94 , westend61 Report

Traveler Jon Miksis has an alternative expression for the term flying etiquette and he calls it "the art of not being a complete jerk while flying."

"You know what I'm talking about, that person who reclines their seat all the way back, leaving you with no legroom? And let's not forget the person who insists on talking to you for the entire flight, even though you've clearly put on your noise-canceling headphones and have your eyes closed," Miksis told Bored Panda.

"Flying etiquette is all about making the experience comfortable for everyone. This includes respecting the flight crew's rules and instructions, being mindful about your personal space, and not being disruptive to other passengers," he explained. "One scenario (that is all too common) is when people hog the overhead bins — bringing their entire house with them as carry-on luggage and leaving no room for the rest of us. I've been on multiple flights where I've had to put my carry-on under the seat in front of me even though I paid for an overhead bin. Not fun when you're 6′4."

ADVERTISEMENT
You May Also Like:
#2

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp If you're sick, wear a mask. - It may not be 100% helpful, but it does 2 things: 1) prevents you from sneezing and coughing on anyone/thing. 2) It lets everyone around you know that you're making a very serious attempt to prevent your germs from getting spread and that means you at least have some basic common courtesy.

Salty1710 , Garakta-Studio Report

#3

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Keep your hair, feet, hands to your effing self.

GrimmandLily , propsman Report

2021 was the worst year on record for unruly airplane passenger behavior in the United States, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A total of 5,981 reports of unruly passengers were logged by the organization, with 4,290, or nearly 72%, being related to mask incidents.

However, the unruly passenger incident rate has dropped since then, with 1,973 reports logged during the first nine months of 2022. Despite this, the FAA has stated that "there remains more work to do."

ADVERTISEMENT

Although the overall number of reported incidents has decreased, the number of cases in which enforcement action was initiated has increased, with 468 cases being recorded during January-September 2022, compared to 350 in 2021.

#4

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Minimize your cologne/perfume usage. Believe it or not, not everybody wants to smell a cheap french hooker for a long flight.

spartacus07869 , Marsel Report

#5

Former flight attendant here:

Don’t bring your massive bag of leftovers and then throw it away in the plane, we have very limited space for trash on board while in flight.

Don’t come into the galley in the middle of the flight to make conversation. We’re interacting with hundreds of you at a time and we’d like to relax for a few minutes and not interact with other humans. Please let us decompress.

When we tell you you can’t do something, must have your seat up for takeoff/landing it’s not because we are thirsty for power and authority, it’s the FAA. If I don’t tell you to do that or you don’t comply I could lose my job. Don’t shoot the messenger, be a sport and just play along.

Your flight attendant is there for your safety, not pleasure, so don’t be rude. We are trying our best.

p3p3_sylvia Report

ADVERTISEMENT

Besides all the misconduct, overall airline behavior can be a lot to handle as well. Recently, Upgraded Points asked 500 Americans to rank airline pet peeves based on how annoying they are the worst ones turned out to be:

  1. Having the back of your seat kicked;
  2. Cutting in line;
  3. Being rude to the airport staff;
  4. People standing in walkways, blocking others' paths;
  5. Crowding the gate before the flight is ready to board;
  6. Someone asking to change seats with you;
  7. People forcing small talk with you.


The study also found that Americans would rather sit next to a crying baby than a fighting couple. However, if given the choice, they would rather pick a seat next to a dog than a baby. Plus, they would prefer to be seatmates with someone who talks non-stop rather than someone with bad body odor.

#6

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Do. Not. Change. Your. Baby's. Diaper. Anywhere. But. The. Bathroom.

Seems like this outta go without saying, but some parents are just honeybadgers and they just don't care.

iqtestforhiring , yesphotowrite Report

#7

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp This one is pretty general, but from experience I guess it still needs saying: If a person has headphones on, earbuds in, whatever, don't try to make small talk. It's nothing personal, but some people have really long days at airports (Can't tell you how many red-eyes I've caught after waiting standby all day) and just don't want to talk.

Follow-up, for the flip side of this instance: If you're listening to music, be reasonable about the volume. The people around you shouldn't be able to hear your tunes.

Maj_Prismatic , DC_Studio Report

ADVERTISEMENT

"I've witnessed my fair share of unruly passengers on flights, and let me tell you, it's never a good time," Jon Miksis, the man behind the travel blog Global View Point, said. "I've seen people get in fights over reclining seats, flight attendants cutting passengers off from alcohol, and everything in between."

"The reality is that you'll be stuck in a metal tube with these people for hours. So, it's always better to stay calm and avoid getting into any arguments on a plane. If a passenger is being extremely disruptive, however, it's a good idea to be proactive and ask a flight attendant for help. You don't have to address the situation in front of the person either — you can do so discreetly by pretending to go to the bathroom and speaking with a flight attendant instead."

"Lastly, if all else fails, you can always take the 'I'll see you in court' approach and secretly document the person's behavior with your phone (just in case you need to use it as evidence in the event of a lawsuit). Just kidding, please don't sue anyone over bad behavior on a flight, it's not worth it," the traveler said.

#8

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp If you forgot headphones, you are not entitled to playing your movie out loud during an overnight flight while I am trying to sleep. I hated that seat neighbor, I was going insane.

Drunken_Consent , alevision.co Report

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Be respectful of the person sitting next to you. Don't yell at the lady with the screaming baby, I promise you she wants it to shut up too.

Kyliexo , joaquincorbalan Report

#10

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp No children at the baggage carousel. Space is tight and bags are flying. My bag WILL smack your kid in the skull, and I will not apologize.

I-be-pop-now , Chibelek Report

As cliché as it sounds, a pleasant flight starts with us. It is important to remember that flying is a shared experience and we all have a role to play in making it at least bearable.

"When flying, it's always a good idea to be mindful of your personal space and how your actions and behaviors affect those around you," Miksis highlighted. "For instance, if you're going to recline your seat, make sure to do it slowly and check to see if anyone behind you is affected. And remember not to hog the overhead bin with your carry-on, as we all have to share that space. If you want to put your jackets and small bags up there, it should fit on top of your carry-on rather than filling the space next to your bigger bag."

ADVERTISEMENT

"Lastly, it's important to be considerate of your fellow passengers by taking a shower and/or using deodorant shortly before a flight. Your row-mates will thank you for it," he added.

#11

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Please keep your shoes on. It's gross.

AccioSud , Passenger Shaming Report

#12

Do what the flight attendants say.

UnbelievableTxn6969 Report

#13

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Wash yourself.

Lotsaa1 added:

Deodorant.

[deleted] , wumyster Report

#14

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp For the love of god, if everyone could learn that people should get out of their seat by alternating rows, de-boarding would be so much easier.

A2134263148a , Steven Damron Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#15

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Do not eat egg salad. We aren’t able to crack windows. I’m begging.

SoupEnjoyer28 , T.Tseng Report

#16

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp I’ve flown over a million miles so hopefully, this helps. Make sure to check behind you before you throw your seat back when reclining.

Kazimierz3000 , pandalove85 Report

#17

Make sure that your carry-on can EASILY fit in the overhead. Don't be the guy who delays everybody boarding behind you by trying to squeeze a steamer trunk into the overhead bin.

deleted Report

#18

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp The middle seat gets both armrests.

Dr_Ax , friends_stock Report

#19

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Don’t clap when the plane lands. Just don’t.

skye_treblechoirkid , carina__zam Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#20

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Before you get on the plane, have what you want for the flight ready so you can stow your bag and get out of the aisle asap.

[deleted] , Maria_Sbytova Report

#21

Buy two seats if you need it.

1uck Report

#22

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Just be mindful. Do what your parents taught you. Say please and thank you.

Luxbu , seventyfourimages Report

#23

Don't swarm the conveyor belt at the baggage claim area. Is the belt moving so fast that you can't walk over and grab your bag when you see it instead of blocking everyone's view of the belt?

PatrickTulip Report

#24

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp While queueing at security, take your belt, keys, change etc. and place them in the front pocket of your carry-on. You'll sail through the scanners and can reload your pockets when you get to a quiet spot

Dawn_of_the_bread , Chalabala Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#25

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Have your boarding pass on hand before you approach the gate.

cpl1 , westend61 Report

#26

You're taking an international flight and will likely have your own tv screen behind the headrest in front of you. It's not necessary to stab at the screen to make selections. Respect that someone is sitting in that seat in front of you.

riddled_with_bourbon Report

#27

When you got to stand up, don't latch onto the seat in front of you and use it for leverage. I am sleeping in that seat and you are waking me up. Just use your legs. I believe in you and your abilities.

seeoharewhy13 Report

#28

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp When they start the boarding process, you don't have to stand up and queue. It usually takes a long time and you have a seat assigned to you anyway, so relax a bit more before your flight.

annievaxxer , TatyanaOt Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#29

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Don't force conversation, but by all means be friendly and talk to the person you're sitting with. Things like destination, job, etc. If they aren't willing to talk don't force it.

Drunken_Consent , Rawpixel Report

#30

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp American here. Please, for the love of all that is holy, learn how to go through airport security! I mean, how long has the TSA required 3 oz liquid items ONLY in a carry on? The amount of time wasted waiting on people who somehow in 2015 STILL don't understand how to get through the security here is astounding!

leahbee11 , Chalabala Report

Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#31

Don’t sit in someone else’s seats?

nwon0002 Report

#32

I asked a flight attendant as I was exiting the plane once what the etiquette on asking for a full can of soda is. She responded by saying "Just ask if you can have a full can if there are enough extra after everyone has had one."

I enjoy talking to flight attendants and asking them questions.

walkah21 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#33

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Don't hog the lavatory - they're becoming more scarce, even as passengers are getting squished in constricted seating.

Back2Bach , reinasmyth Report

#34

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Don’t be a douchebag and assume everyone who’s the same race as the majority in that country is from that country. (My mother tried talking to a guy in Japanese, and he was like “dafaq? I’m from Canada “)

level 1 [deleted] , winnievinzence Report

#35

There will be bumpy moments... Sometimes they can get fairly drastic. This is normal, especially during take off and landing.

If the stewards aren't worried, you have no need to worry.

Enjoy your flight!

Gingerrye Report

#36

If the rest of the cabin has gone into "night mode" (subdued lighting, sleeping passengers, and closed windows) close your window. Don't be the one guy who has to see the sun and have a blazing beam of light spread out over seven other passengers.

[deleted] Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#37

If you or a traveling companion is elderly or handicapped, you can skip all the lines and get shuttled through the airport. Just request wheelchair or medical assistance. Your whole party can come with, skipping lines and all. Lines and walking are for young healthy people.

FriendlyCraig Report

#38

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp If you fidget and frequent the bathroom, try to get the outside seat. Talk to the people you sit with. If they say no, their own fault; if not, you're an a** for getting up every few minutes.

Drunken_Consent , Caribb Report

#39

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Window gets an armrest and a wall, aisle gets and armrest and a little bit of extra leg.

BlargTheGreat , seventyfourimages Report

#40

If you have a backpack it’s best under the seat in front of you to save room in the overhead.

Kazimierz3000 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp Plane isn't leaving without you, stop trying to force your way through. Though at the same time when you get to your seat park your stuff and sit down, you can have your conversations when you aren't blocking the corridor.

menchicutlets , Matthew Hurst Report

#42

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp ONLY people in the bulkhead should put both of their bags in the overhead bins.

sln84 , iportret Report

#43

Do not be that friend who calls from the airport on the worst day of snow asking for a ride home.

inkwater Report

#44

People Share 30 Etiquette Rules When Flying That Some People Still Can’t Seem To Grasp If you are sitting in the aisle seat, don't go to sleep and trap your seatmates. People need to pee.

Lordica , friends_stock Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda