13 Things That Make You Public Enemy #1 on a Plane

With overcrowding, sky-high fares and lack of comfort, air travel is quickly becoming the least favourite mode of getting from point A to point B. Add passenger inconsideration and rudeness into the travel mix, and we’re no longer flying the friendly skies. Here are the biggest frequent flyer mistakes you can make, and how to avoid them.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

1. Being an Armrest Warrior

Pushing your neighbour’s arm off the shared armrest will guarantee dirty looks and an in-flight turf war.

Avoid being the enemy: Capturing the armrest can be a battle that’s too close to home. If the person beside you seems obsessed with claiming ownership, it’s best to retreat peacefully for a more relaxing journey.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Alexander Gatsenko)

2. Over Reclining

Tilting your seat back during take off, landing and meals tells the person sat behind you that your comfort matters more than theirs. And if your quest to relax causes a hot dinner or glass of wine to land in their lap, the entire plane will hear about your inconsideration.

Avoid being the enemy: Keep your seat straight up until it’s safe – and acceptable – to recline. It’s generally understood that it’s okay to recline once meals are complete and trays have been collected. If you still need more room to stretch out, perhaps booking a bulkhead seat or a space in premium economy or business class will appease everyone.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Gene Chutka)

3. Being a Personal Hygiene Offender

Being stuck in close quarters, you would hope that your row mates would have practiced their daily personal hygiene routine: a shower or bath, brushing their teeth. Smelly passengers – and this designation also includes individuals who overdose on perfume or cologne – can trigger illness such as headaches and nausea in some neighbouring travellers.

Avoid being the enemy: Shower/bathe, brush your teeth and wear clean clothes. Use perfume sparingly. Just because you’re traveling with people you’ll never see again, doesn’t mean that you can drop your hygiene repertoire for the day. It’s amazing what a little underarm deodorant and toothpaste will do to create a happy traveling experience for those seated around you.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Martii Salmela)

4. Being a Chatty Cathy (or Chad)

These flyers can’t wait to talk your ear off for the duration of the flight.

Avoid being the enemy: If your row mates put on their headphones or break out their computer, that’s a clear sign that they’re not looking for in-flight conversation. Keep your lip buttoned. Casual chitchat should be kept to a minimum.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

5. Being an Overhead Luggage Hog

Many airlines these days board the plane by rows. If you’re sat in economy at the rear of the plane, you’ll most likely climb on board first (after the business class passengers and people with kids or in need of assistance). Getting on the plane before everyone else does not give you a free pass to stuff every overhead bin with your excess carry-on luggage.

Avoid being the enemy: Fill up the space under the seat in front of you first, then take ownership of the bin that’s directly over your own seat. Hogging someone else’s precious overhead bin will earn you toxic traveller status before the flight leaves the gate.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

6. Being a Chair Kicker

This offender can take the guise at any age – child or adult. Kids can get bored or extremely nervous while flying, and kicking might be their way of letting off steam. Adults who repeatedly kick or knee the seat should know better. Yes, the seats are cramped and your legs are tied up like a pretzel, but there’s no excuse for repeatedly pummeling the seat in front of you.

Avoid being the enemy: To keep the in-flight peace, parents traveling with little ones should halt such kicking behaviours immediately. Adults, save the leg calisthenics for out-of-seat occasions such as a trip to the bathroom or a mid-aisle stretch. With shrinking space between airline rows, everyone is cramped these days. Standing up and walking through the cabin is a smart way to keep DVT at bay during flights, too.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Vladimir Surkov)

7. Being Drunk

Overindulging with booze mid-air is a one-way ticket to toxic traveller status. At least in a bar on terra firma, irritated neighbours can escape the drunk sat nearby. In-flight, it’s not so easy. Slurring, spilling, snoring – a seatmate slumped deep in a drink-induced stupor is nearly impossible to climb over.

Avoid being the enemy: Stay refreshed during the flight, but favour non-alcoholic beverages over beer, wine and spirits. If you are desperate for something alcoholic, limit your consumption to one glass during your meal, so you don’t go overboard and transform into a sloppy, sputtering annoyance.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

8. Throwing Dirty Looks on the Aisle

Even travellers tucked up cozily in the window seat have to get up once in awhile. Aisle-seated passengers, who sigh in exasperation or throw sour looks every time they’re asked to let someone by, are a menace.

Avoid being the enemy: If you detest being interrupted by washroom-bound passengers or flight attendants handing out meals, purchase a window seat. By willfully choosing an aisle seat, there’s always the chance that you will be asked to move or pass along a dinner tray.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

9. Being an Over-Reacher

Getting out of your seat to walk around the plane’s cabin can be tricky, but it’s no excuse for threading your hands into the hair of the person seated in front of you when you’re grabbing the seat for balance.

Avoid being the enemy: The key to a non-disruptive seat exit is to hold the sides of the headrest in front of you – gently. Don’t grab it like your life depends on it. And be mindful of the person’s head and hair.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Sean Locke)

10. Being Generally Gross

Clipping fingernails, flossing teeth or changing a baby’s messy diaper – the sounds and smells of these normally behind-closed-door activities can rival fingernails on a chalkboard for repulsiveness when they’re performed in full public view during a flight.

Avoid being the enemy: Be respectful of your fellow passengers. Reserve these tasks for a visit to the plane’s bathroom. Nail clippings won’t accidently garnish your neighbour’s dinner entrée and diaper odour won’t hang in the cabin’s recycled air.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/ Dusan Zidar)

11. Being a Headrest Jabber

Travellers love those personal TV screens that are tucked into the headrest of the seat in front of them. Problem is, they love them a little too much. Pushing too hard on the TV’s touch-screen causes the passenger in front of you to experience a constant jab to the back of the head. It literally feels like a woodpecker is having a field day on the other side of your headrest.

Avoid being the enemy: Gently press on the touch-screen on the seat back ahead of you as you wait for your selection to be accepted by the TV monitor. Tapping repeatedly just frustrates everyone including the person sat in front of you.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/ Adrian Assalve)

12. Being Too Noisy

Screaming babies, headsets turned to extreme volumes, even excessively loud talkers – these offenders all add to the ear drum-bursting noise levels on airplanes.

Avoid being the enemy: Babies will cry on flights, volume controls sometimes need to be cranked and carrying on a conversation over the roar of the plane’s engines can be a challenge. To keep such disruptions to a minimum, be mindful of your surroundings. Try to console your little one the best you can and avoid shouting at your conversation partner. Remember…you’re not at home.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Gene Chutka)

13. Being a Frequent Washroom Tripper

Some travellers visit the washroom more often. People sat by the window with weak bladders or a fondness for extra beverages can disrupt and annoy their entire row with repeated exits and entrances for a loo break.

Avoid being the enemy: Do your row a favour and book an aisle seat on your next flight. You can come and go as much as you please without upsetting someone’s meal, nap or temper.

(Photo courtesy of iStock/Валерий Федоров)