I recently found myself with the rare opportunity of having an empty seat next to me on a flight. Of course I was more than ecstatic until the person one seat away proceeded to clip their finger nails for what seemed most of the flight.
When I got over my shock, I began thinking of how far we have come. Air travel used to be a glamorous privilege, not a place to catch up on your personal grooming. Moreover, most of us who travel for business use the time to catch up on work and appreciate a peaceful environment.
Here are nine do’s and don’ts for a pleasant flight:
- DON’T try to sneak things past the TSA. If it isn’t allowed on the plane, it shouldn’t be in your bag. You are simply holding up the people behind you trying to get it past security.
- DO make sure you have everything you need for the flight in the bag that will go under your seat.
- DON’T take up room in the overhead compartment with things that could clearly fit under your seat or in your lap.
- DO dress comfortably if you are not getting off of the plane and going right into meetings.
- But DON’T wear your pajamas. Yes, they are comfortable, but there are very few places were it is okay to dress like that in public.
- DO be kind to your flight attendant. In the event of an emergency, this person is responsible for saving your life.
- DON’T ring the call button two seconds after take-off and ask to use the restroom. Again, flight attendants are responsible for your safety. While they can’t tell you that you absolutely can’t use the restroom, they will advise you against it.
- DO make sure you have enough reading/work/games/etc. to entertain yourself through the entire flight.
- DON’T blast music or an obnoxious movie through your headphones. The person next to you doesn’t need to hear what you are listening to.
By following these simple rules, you will find your encounters with other travelers will become more pleasant making everyone’s travels just a little bit less stressful.
