A nine-hour flight to Athens lay ahead. I was settling into my coach seat and starting to doze off when suddenly someone pulled off my blanket. Fearing some calamity, I sat up and looked around. A little girl, perhaps five years old, was running down the aisle waking up sleeping passengers. When a flight attendant asked the mother to control her daughter, the mother rose and angrily informed the cabin that her angel was just letting off energy. Only when the girl got tired and fell asleep did the rest of us get some much-needed quiet time.
With flight cutbacks causing ever-more crowded planes these days, the need for manners at 30,000 feet is more important than ever. Here are some simple rules for airplane etiquette.
Carrying baggage around: With most domestic airlines charging for checked baggage, passengers are carrying on more.
Comply with the airline's carry-on restrictions. Before you leave home, practice lifting the bags over your head — after you pack them. It's not fair to expect fellow passengers to lift your luggage into the overhead compartment. (But if you see someone struggling, by all means, help.) And if possible, place your carry-on in the space above your seat — not above a seat half a cabin away. It's not nice to take someone else's overhead space.
Easy does it: Before you recline your seat, check behind you. Don't recline it all the way if it looks as though it's going to make the person behind you uncomfortable. And put the seat back gradually; you want to avoid spills and broken computer screens on the tray table on the back of your seat.
Polite conversation: Whether you're talking to the stranger in the next seat or to your best friend, avoid bringing up intimate personal details. Always remember that other passengers are only a few inches away and can hear every word you say.
The class system: Like it or not, those folks in business or first class have paid extra or used frequent flyer miles to get those seats. Don't try to use the lavatory in those areas if you're not sitting up there, unless the flight attendants have made an exception because of special circumstances — for instance, if another lavatory is out of order.
Body heat: Make sure you're as clean as possible before the flight. (Even if you're in between long flights, take a few moments to wash up in the airport bathroom.) Second, be aware that you're not the only one sitting in tight quarters; show some consideration and share your armrest.
Child's play: If you're traveling with children, don't allow them to kick the seats in front of them, and don't let them run around unsupervised.
Make sure the toys and electronic games you bring along are quiet ones. And if you find yourself on a plane with children, be patient. Most parents try to be considerate.
Higher authorities: Obey the captain and flight attendants. When the captain turns on the seat-belt sign, stay in your seat, and when the flight attendants ask you not to rush for the exit at the end of the flight, honor their requests. It’s not only polite; it could save your life.
