Traveling is fantastic! However, the actual act of getting to a place by having to step in an airport can be a daunting and irritable task. Besides the actual airlines creating scenarios that add to the unpleasantness of flying, like overbooking flights or offering passengers three meager pretzels as lunch, being a polite passenger takes little effort and can really help make the experience much more bearable for everyone. Travelling etiquette starts way before you board the plane and continues until you actually leave the destination’s airport, so whether you think you already know basic travel etiquette or not, we share some recommendations for your next trip.

 

Counter

If you’ve been in line for a bit before you reach the counter, you’ve had enough time to prepare your documents and have your bags closed and ready to place on the scale. If the airline allows you to make the check in prior to arriving, we strongly suggest you do it, but in the unfortunate case it doesn’t make sure to always look around for kiosks where you can do your check-in. This will make the process faster and more seamless for you and for the rest of the people in line (everyone wants to get past security and grab a coffee asap).

 

Security Line

The drill is always the same, so before you arrive to the line have your boarding pass and ID ready. Make sure you have you don’t have liquids or any other prohibited items, take off your jacket, take out your laptop, empty your pockets and pay attention to any other directions for any local rules, who will likely be playing on a loop or repeated by the agent (For example, some places require you to take off your shoes while others don’t).

 

Boarding

There are boarding groups for a reason, so don’t be a part of the group blocking the line for the actual passengers that are called to board before you.
 

Carry-on

Keep your belongings close to avoid hitting fellow travelers while walking down the aisle and always stow your carry-on over your own seat number. If you have two pieces, the big one goes on the overhead bin (and horizontally to allow for more room), the small one down below the seat in front of you, as well as your jacket. We’re sure you’ve experienced during a trip that by the time you board the plane, the overhead bin space is full. Everyone deserves a space for their carry-on, so don’t take up two. Also, make sure you don’t block the aisle while you take out your iPad a book from your bag, do it before you get on the plane or once boarding is finished.

 

Personal space

Respect you and your neighbor’s personal space – this means no open legs with your knees touching your neighbor’s or your backpack flooding over to the adjacent seat. Also, it’s always nice to leave the armrests for the person in the middle seat, as they already have the worst of it. If you’re in the window, you have control of the shade, but be mindful. Even though it’s always nice to greet the other people in your row, many people don’t like to engage in conversation, so make sure to read the other person. It goes both ways, so if your seat neighbor is being chatty, you can definitely excuse yourself politely by announcing you’ll read or listen to music for a bit.

 

Kids

We know it’s hard to travel with kids, but if yours are kicking the seat in front of them or making excessive noise, do try to control them for the other passenger’s sake. On the other hand, if there’s a baby screaming bloody murder remember they can’t really control their emotions yet, so try not to be rude to the parents as we can assure you, they’re already uncomfortable enough with the situation.

 

Basic respect

Please use headphones when watching a movie or video (and make your kids use them, as well), speak in a low voice with your fellow travelers or when on the phone and try not to take your shoes off. If it’s a long flight, at least make sure you have socks on, as you’ll be surprised how many people get uncomfortable around bare feet. In tandem with this, clipping your nails or getting a pedicure is a big no-no.

 

No smelly food

Yes, we all wish airplane food was better, but there’s nothing worse than being trapped in close quarters that smells of tuna or broccoli. Be mindful and try to buy snacks or food that don’t have a strong odor.

 

Reclining your seat

The never-ending debate while planes get more and more tight: to recline or not to recline? Even though there are mixed feelings out there about this point, we do recommend at least taking a look behind you to make sure you don’t hit someone’s laptop and not reclining your seat at least during meal times.

 

Getting off the plane

We’re all eager to get off the plane once it has landed, however getting up and scrambling to get your carry-on the second the seatbelt sign has been turned off will be annoying for your neighbors and let’s be realistic, will save about 5 seconds of time. Wait while the rows in the front evacuate the plane until it’s your turn.

 

Baggage claim

Congratulations! You’re almost there, but there’s an important step missing. Once you’re arrive at the baggage carousel make sure to stand at least three steps away from it. Being all crammed up at the front will not make your luggage arrive faster, but it will definitely prevent other passengers from comfortably grabbing their own luggage from the belt without awkwardly bumping into you and any other person crammed at the front.