Air travel etiquette
Jul. 22nd, 2006 12:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcI fly, alot. I'm not one of those poor sods who travels 100,000+ miles a year, but have been averaging about 40,000 the last several years. My longest non-stop flight was 17 hours (Washington DC-Tokyo); living in Australia made 14 hour flights (to the US, Canada, Europe) almost the norm. And for the most part this has been in economy class. Though I pretty much will spread for anyone who doesn't have bad breath and will confirm an upgrade on the loooong flights. I've mostly stuck to scheduled airlines, since charters can cancel flights and have no obligation to do anything but give you your money back--or not, if they go bankrupt (always pay by credit card, since you can claw that $$ back through the card).
My first flight was NYC-Shannon Ireland when I was 8. I'm now 42, so that's 3 decades of flying. Back then flying was reserved for the few who could afford it. Flagship carriers like PanAm operated round-the-word flights, had piano bars on board for first class, and there was an air of class/style to it all. The social democrat in me thinks accessible air travel is a good thing; the seasoned traveller, however, has perhaps 1/2 a nerve left for callous, clueless, fuckwit travellers. Hence this list:
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jawnbc's air travel etiquette tips
1. Walk slightly sideways down the aisle. Most aircraft aisles are a bit too narrow for an average person to lumber long, arms-a-pumpin'. Your hips might well be clearing the seats on either side of you, but your upper body--including your shoulders, arms, and any bags you're carrying on--won't. If you lead with one shoulder slightly, you're less likely to thwack every single one of us in the aisle seats.
2. Don't bag jam in the overhead bin. If you have several smaller bags (think duty free), and you arrive to find other bags already in the overhead bin, take a minute and think about how to arrange the bags. You shouldn't crush anything by shoving your stuff in. You shouldn't wedge your stuff in and then slam the door shut--it'll come tumbling out onto the heads people like me in the aisle seats. And you certainly shouldn't move anyone else's bag from one compartment to another: first come (often gold card), first serve.
3. Load your carry-ons as quickly as possible. With 100-350 people boarding, it's not nice to stop in the aisle, sigh heavily, glance left right up and down, and then start loading your bags in the overhead bin. Be prepare before you get on the plane. Know which bag(s) are going under your seat and which are going above. Know which direction your bag should go in easily and taking up less room (for hard carry-ons, it's usually long way, top handled out)--then you can pop them in quickly. And if you're the first arrivée in your row, step out of the aisle and try to do this from the aisle seat. This can cut boarding times for everyone by many minutes, making an on-time departure much more likely.
4. Don't climb over people. If you are in the middle or window seat, and your neighbour(s) is already in their place, put your overhead bin bags away, then ask them to get up so you can get in. BTW it works the same way if you need to get up: ask first, so they can step out into the aisle.
5. Walking in-flight, trace the bin. Even on a nice calm, steady flight, it's not unusual to find one's self jostled slightly when walking down the aisle. As you walk, gentle trace one hand (or 2 if it's bumpy) along the overhead bins as you walk. It steadies you, so you're not hip-checking the shoulders of the folks sitting on the aisle.
6. Shut up during the safety demo. I can pretty much do the demo of some airlines. Like, some flight attendants do the one-finger, two-finger, or whole-hand point when indicating the emergency exits and emergency lighting on the floor. But some of the folks around might not travel as much; some, likedjmrswhite are nervous flyers. So be quiet...or at least speak very quietly...during the safety demonstration.
7. Use headphones. You have a portable DVD player, how kewl! Or your laptop plays DVDs, super! But use headphones, since listening to 50 Cent makes me wanna find the emergency exit and pop the cork (no doubt my Céline tracks inspire similar rancour. Among the uncouth.). And don't blast the music so loud we can all hear it anyways.
8. Recline slowly, when appropriate. You shouldn't recline your seat during meals; ideally not during beverage services (since some passengers are also eating, in the era of bring your own meal). Ditto take-off and landing. But other times you have every right to recline your seat. But don't pop (the button) and slam (the seat back) it. Look back, then slowly recline your seat. That way you don't crush anyone's legs or smash anyone's laptop.
9. This never used to be my playground. When we went to Ireland in 1972, Da bought a staple gun and adhered us each to our seats. We also had to wear our Sunday best, which today seems silly. But if you are going to bring your child on a plane, they cant' use the aisle as a playground. It's obnoxious and dangerous.
10. My chair is not your slingshot. If you want to get out of your seat, don't use the back of the chair in front of you to pull yourself up. Big/fat people seem especially inclined to do this, and the effect can be slingshot like. To get up out of your own seat, turn your body towards the aisle, pull on the back of your own seat and pull yourself up. Alternately, push yourself up using the arm rest.
My first flight was NYC-Shannon Ireland when I was 8. I'm now 42, so that's 3 decades of flying. Back then flying was reserved for the few who could afford it. Flagship carriers like PanAm operated round-the-word flights, had piano bars on board for first class, and there was an air of class/style to it all. The social democrat in me thinks accessible air travel is a good thing; the seasoned traveller, however, has perhaps 1/2 a nerve left for callous, clueless, fuckwit travellers. Hence this list:
jawnbc's air travel etiquette tips1. Walk slightly sideways down the aisle. Most aircraft aisles are a bit too narrow for an average person to lumber long, arms-a-pumpin'. Your hips might well be clearing the seats on either side of you, but your upper body--including your shoulders, arms, and any bags you're carrying on--won't. If you lead with one shoulder slightly, you're less likely to thwack every single one of us in the aisle seats.
2. Don't bag jam in the overhead bin. If you have several smaller bags (think duty free), and you arrive to find other bags already in the overhead bin, take a minute and think about how to arrange the bags. You shouldn't crush anything by shoving your stuff in. You shouldn't wedge your stuff in and then slam the door shut--it'll come tumbling out onto the heads people like me in the aisle seats. And you certainly shouldn't move anyone else's bag from one compartment to another: first come (often gold card), first serve.
3. Load your carry-ons as quickly as possible. With 100-350 people boarding, it's not nice to stop in the aisle, sigh heavily, glance left right up and down, and then start loading your bags in the overhead bin. Be prepare before you get on the plane. Know which bag(s) are going under your seat and which are going above. Know which direction your bag should go in easily and taking up less room (for hard carry-ons, it's usually long way, top handled out)--then you can pop them in quickly. And if you're the first arrivée in your row, step out of the aisle and try to do this from the aisle seat. This can cut boarding times for everyone by many minutes, making an on-time departure much more likely.
4. Don't climb over people. If you are in the middle or window seat, and your neighbour(s) is already in their place, put your overhead bin bags away, then ask them to get up so you can get in. BTW it works the same way if you need to get up: ask first, so they can step out into the aisle.
5. Walking in-flight, trace the bin. Even on a nice calm, steady flight, it's not unusual to find one's self jostled slightly when walking down the aisle. As you walk, gentle trace one hand (or 2 if it's bumpy) along the overhead bins as you walk. It steadies you, so you're not hip-checking the shoulders of the folks sitting on the aisle.
6. Shut up during the safety demo. I can pretty much do the demo of some airlines. Like, some flight attendants do the one-finger, two-finger, or whole-hand point when indicating the emergency exits and emergency lighting on the floor. But some of the folks around might not travel as much; some, like
djmrswhite are nervous flyers. So be quiet...or at least speak very quietly...during the safety demonstration.7. Use headphones. You have a portable DVD player, how kewl! Or your laptop plays DVDs, super! But use headphones, since listening to 50 Cent makes me wanna find the emergency exit and pop the cork (no doubt my Céline tracks inspire similar rancour. Among the uncouth.). And don't blast the music so loud we can all hear it anyways.
8. Recline slowly, when appropriate. You shouldn't recline your seat during meals; ideally not during beverage services (since some passengers are also eating, in the era of bring your own meal). Ditto take-off and landing. But other times you have every right to recline your seat. But don't pop (the button) and slam (the seat back) it. Look back, then slowly recline your seat. That way you don't crush anyone's legs or smash anyone's laptop.
9. This never used to be my playground. When we went to Ireland in 1972, Da bought a staple gun and adhered us each to our seats. We also had to wear our Sunday best, which today seems silly. But if you are going to bring your child on a plane, they cant' use the aisle as a playground. It's obnoxious and dangerous.
10. My chair is not your slingshot. If you want to get out of your seat, don't use the back of the chair in front of you to pull yourself up. Big/fat people seem especially inclined to do this, and the effect can be slingshot like. To get up out of your own seat, turn your body towards the aisle, pull on the back of your own seat and pull yourself up. Alternately, push yourself up using the arm rest.
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13
Date: 2006-07-22 09:06 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:34 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:38 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:44 pm (UTC)They come in 7.5mg tablets, but for most people a half works fine. They're a hypnotic, so they last longer than most sleeping pills, with no hangover.
Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:48 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:52 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 10:59 pm (UTC)I tried once ambien on a plane and it wasnt that great, didnt sleep much better than without having used them.
What's the after effect of 'Rhovane'? Do you feel groggy when you wake up?
Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 11:06 pm (UTC)Re: 13
Date: 2006-07-22 11:08 pm (UTC)