Flying can be stressful — but it gets a whole lot easier when everyone follows basic etiquette.
Unfortunately, not all passengers know the unspoken rules of flying.
Here are the flight etiquette tips that make travel smoother for everyone.
1. Respect Personal Space
Lean into your own seat area — not someone else’s.
Keep elbows, hair, and bags contained.
2. Armrest Rules
The unwritten rule:
⭐ Middle seat gets BOTH armrests.
Window gets the window, aisle gets extra legroom.
Fair deal.
3. Seat Reclining Etiquette
You can recline — but do it slowly and check behind you.
Never recline during meal service.
4. Carry-On Bag Etiquette
Don’t hog overhead bin space.
Place one bag overhead and the smaller bag under your seat.
Use Aviasales to check carry-on size limits before booking.
“Good manners will open doors that the best airfare never will.”
Anonymous
6. Bathroom Etiquette
Keep bathroom trips short and clean.
Don’t go barefoot — ever.
7. Noise Etiquette
Use headphones for videos and music.
Keep conversations low.
Avoid speakerphone at all costs.
8. Food Etiquette
Avoid strong-smelling food.
(Yes — this includes tuna sandwiches, garlic noodles, and boiled eggs.)
9. Helping Others
Offer help to parents, seniors, and travelers struggling with overhead bins.
Kindness goes a long way at 35,000 feet.
10. Handling Rude Passengers
Stay calm, use polite language, and ask a flight attendant for help if needed.
Never escalate the issue.
Real-Life Example
A traveler once boarded with a giant suitcase that clearly didn’t fit overhead.
He insisted on forcing it in — and held up the entire plane.
If he had checked the size rule ahead of time, he could’ve avoided stress (and a $50 fee).
