Air Travel Etiquette: Get Your Sh*t Together

Introduction: This Isn’t About Hate — It’s About Awareness

Let me be clear: I’m not here to complain for the sake of it. I’m not attacking parents, larger folks, or people who don’t travel often. This blog isn’t about shaming — it’s about reality.

I’ve been traveling across countries, continents, and time zones for more than 25 years. I’ve seen the highs of hospitality and the absolute lows of human behaviour in tight, pressurised cabins at 35,000 feet. Flying used to be something we looked forward to. Now it’s more like a social experiment in how fast human decency breaks down under shared stress.

And here’s the issue: nothing’s changing. In fact, it’s getting worse.

Screaming kids, chair grabbers, bare feet, loud phone calls, people sprinting off the plane before the doors open, entitled behaviour that’s so normalised it’s practically part of the boarding process. The truth is, most people forget that flying is a shared space, and that’s exactly why this blog exists.

Maybe it’s time airlines handed out small etiquette guidebooks alongside the safety cards. Maybe it’s time we as passengers took responsibility for the space we take up and the energy we bring into the sky. Because if we keep acting like it’s just about our comfort — not the 150+ people sharing that space — then we’re the problem.

This guide explores the worst behaviors in air travel, breaks down why they happen, why they’re a problem, and how we can actually fix them — with facts, empathy, and a little common sense.

1. Screaming Kids, Kicking Seats & Checked-Out Parents

What Happens:You’re halfway through a long-haul flight, your noise-cancelling headphones are barely holding off the high-pitched wailing from a toddler in row 18. Every few minutes, the back of your seat gets thudded by tiny feet while the parent scrolls on their phone or stares blankly ahead. You're not mad at the kid. But your sanity’s wearing thin.

Why It Happens:Flying is stressful for everyone — and for children, it can be traumatic. Cabin pressure affects their ears more severely than adults. Their bodies aren't built to sit still for ten hours. Many toddlers can’t verbalise their discomfort or understand personal space. Meanwhile, parents — particularly solo travellers — are often physically and mentally exhausted, managing multiple bags, time zones, and the judgment of strangers. Add to that the lack of family-specific seating or amenities, and you get chaos.

Why It Matters: According to a 2019 Expedia survey, 41% of airline passengers say misbehaving or noisy children are their number one inflight complaint. Constant disruption negatively affects passengers' ability to rest or concentrate, increasing travel fatigue, anxiety, and even aggression. And when parents feel judged or unsupported, they shut down — perpetuating the cycle.

Solutions:

• Airlines: Introduce designated family seating sections at the back of the plane. Provide inflight kid kits with colouring books, snacks, and ear-pressure lollipops.

• Parents: Prepare like it's a mission: snacks, screen time, headphones, calming routines. If your child isn’t ready to fly, consider waiting or choosing shorter routes.

Why It Works: Family zones create better experiences for both parents and child-free passengers. Thoughtful preparation empowers parents to manage their child’s energy and emotions.

2. Back-of-Chair Grabbing: The Lazy Climb

What Happens: You're finally dozing off mid-flight, only to be yanked forward by the person behind you hoisting themselves up using the top of your seat like it's a ladder. It happens again when they get up for the bathroom. And again when they return. Your neck feels it, your mood dips, and your patience wears thin.

Why It Happens: It’s a mix of poor balance, limited mobility, and laziness. In cramped quarters, some people instinctively grab the seat in front of them for support. But more often than not, it's simply because they don’t consider the person occupying that seat. It’s not a handlebar — it’s someone’s spine and skull.

Why It Matters: Beyond being rude, it’s actually painful for some passengers. A jolt to the neck or back can aggravate existing injuries. It disrupts rest and turns even a peaceful flight into a game of “brace for impact.” Multiply that across hundreds of passengers and hours of travel, and the frustration builds.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Use the armrests or aisle seat backs to lift yourself. If balance is an issue, ask for assistance — don’t transfer your stability problem to someone else’s body.

• Airlines: Include visual reminders on seatbacks or safety cards: “Please avoid using the seat in front of you for support.” Even a polite animation in the pre-flight video could make a difference.

Why It Works: Most people don’t mean harm — they just need a reminder. A simple shift in awareness reduces unnecessary physical contact and makes the flight smoother (literally) for everyone.

3. Armrest Wars & Manspreading: The Battle for Elbow Dominance

What Happens: You’re crammed in economy, shoulders touching strangers, trying to sip your drink without elbowing someone. Then the person next to you claims both armrests and spreads their knees wide like they’re in a recliner.

Why It Happens: Some people genuinely don’t realize how much space they’re taking up. Others assume their comfort outweighs yours. And men — particularly tall or broad passengers — are often the biggest offenders of “manspreading,” consciously or not.

Why It Matters: With average economy seats just 17 inches wide (and shrinking), stealing armrests or spreading too far affects everyone’s comfort. It leads to resentment, passive-aggressive nudging, and an overall more hostile travel environment.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Know the unspoken rule: middle seat gets both armrests. If you're on the aisle or window, share. Keep your knees within your own space.

• Airlines: Reinforce etiquette in booking confirmations. Consider adjustable seat dividers.

Why It Works: Setting expectations creates fairness. Once passengers understand the rules of shared space, they’re more likely to follow them.

4. Loud Calls, Videos & No Headphones: The Noise Pollution Epidemic

What Happens: You’re finally settled into your gate or seat, trying to relax, maybe read a book or rest your eyes — and suddenly, someone nearby starts watching TikToks or a movie on full blast. Or they take a phone call on speaker, speaking loudly enough for the whole row to hear. It's not just annoying — it's aggressively selfish.

Why It Happens: People have become tethered to their devices, and somewhere along the way, we normalised blasting sound in public. The rise of speakerphone culture — whether in restaurants, buses, or planes — is largely due to poor boundaries and a lack of public etiquette education. Some travellers also overestimate how loud they need to talk in noisy environments, making the problem even worse.

Why It Matters: In shared, enclosed spaces like cabins and terminals, volume matters. Prolonged exposure to unwanted noise increases stress levels, anxiety, and sensory fatigue. According to a 2022 TripAdvisor survey, 71% of travellers listed loud phone use or media playback without headphones as one of the most annoying behaviours on a flight. For neurodivergent passengers or those with PTSD, this isn't just irritating — it's triggering.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Always carry headphones. If you must take a call, step away from quiet areas, keep your voice low, and avoid speaker mode at all costs.

• Airlines & Airports: Use clear signage and announcements reminding travellers to use headphones. Display universal headphone symbols in lounges and boarding zones.

• Crew: Don’t hesitate to ask passengers to lower their volume or use headphones — especially during night flights or long-hauls.

Why It Works: Sound etiquette is contagious. Most people don’t want to be that person. Normalising headphone use and low-volume speech reduces auditory stress, promotes calm, and makes long-haul flights bearable — especially when sleep is in short supply.

5. Gate Lurking & Boarding Stampedes: The Premature Crowd

What Happens:Your boarding group hasn’t even been called, but the gate area is already swarmed with eager travellers. People crowd the entrance, blocking access for priority boarders, families, or anyone who actually should be going in first. The result? A chaotic start to what could have been an orderly process.

Why It Happens:Fear of running out of overhead bin space, anxiety about seating, or plain old impatience. Some travellers think being first on board means they’ll get ahead somehow — even though everyone arrives at the same destination. Others just don’t trust that they’ll be called in time, so they hover.

Why It Matters: This crowding creates unnecessary stress for passengers and gate agents alike. It also slows down the process. People with mobility issues or young kids often struggle to get through. A 2023 report by the International Air Transport Association found that poorly managed boarding adds up to 20 minutes of avoidable delays to short-haul flights.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Stay seated until your group is called. Your seat isn’t going anywhere.

• Airlines: Use visual zones, physical barriers (like boarding lane stanchions), and digital displays to reinforce group order. Make clear announcements — and enforce them.

• Airports: Design waiting areas with tiered boarding zones to discourage crowding near gates.

Why It Works: Structure breeds calm. When people understand the system and see it working, they follow it. Organised boarding reduces delays, prevents pushing and shoving, and gets everyone seated — and airborne — faster.

6. Overhead Bin Chaos: The Fight for Luggage Space

What Happens: Boarding begins and within minutes, overhead bins near the front rows are already full — not by the people sitting there, but by passengers from row 32 who tossed their bags up front “just in case.” Then someone tries to cram an oversized roller that obviously doesn’t fit. It becomes a messy game of Tetris with short tempers and last-minute gate-checking.

Why It Happens: Airlines charge for checked bags, which encourages people to bring everything onboard. Others don’t want to wait at baggage claim. But the bigger issue? There’s no consistent enforcement of size rules or bin etiquette, and people are scared of losing space near their seat.

Why It Matters: Bin hoarding slows boarding, creates arguments between passengers, and puts pressure on crew members to solve problems that shouldn’t exist. According to the FAA, inefficient luggage loading can delay departures by up to 30%, and it's one of the leading causes of inflight tensions before the plane even leaves the ground.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Place your bag above your seat — not wherever’s closest. Bring only what fits in the airline’s size limits.

• Airlines: Offer free checked bag options for full flights, strictly enforce carry-on dimensions, and empower staff to redirect bin misuse early.

• Gate Agents: Use a simple luggage tag or coloured sticker system to show bags that have been cleared or should be gate-checked.

Why It Works: More structure = fewer fights. Passengers feel less anxious about space when they know it’s being fairly managed. And flights leave faster when bins aren't a battlefield.

7. Personal Grooming & Feet on Armrests: Hygiene Horrors

What Happens: Someone next to you starts applying nail polish mid-flight. A passenger behind you rests their barefoot on your armrest. Another one is flossing their teeth while you’re trying to eat your snack. It’s not just bizarre — it’s disgusting.

Why It Happens: Some travellers forget (or never learned) that a plane isn’t a private bathroom or salon. Long travel hours blur boundaries. People get too comfortable and forget there are 150 strangers watching and breathing in their choices.

Why It Matters: Airplanes are recycled air environments. Strong smells, airborne particles, or even dust from filing nails can affect others. It’s also just gross. In a 2022 survey by Skytrax, 62% of travellers listed foot or grooming-related behaviour as one of the most disturbing things they’d seen on a flight.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Groom at home. At the very least, do it discreetly in the bathroom — never in your seat. Keep your shoes on unless you’re wearing clean socks and staying in your space.

• Airlines: Include hygiene etiquette in inflight materials. Add gentle reminders during boarding or safety videos that feet belong on the floor and grooming belongs at home.

Why It Works: Social pressure is real. Clear expectations and reminders make passengers think twice. It’s not about being uptight — it’s about public health, safety, and respect.

8. Overpowering Perfume & Scent Assaults: Breathing Shouldn’t Hurt

What Happens: You sit down and get slapped in the face by an invisible wall of scent. Someone nearby bathed in perfume, cologne, or body spray. It’s so strong your eyes water and your head spins — and you’ve still got 8 hours left to endure it.

Why It Happens: People often overapply fragrance, especially before long flights, hoping to “stay fresh.” Some genuinely can’t smell themselves anymore due to scent fatigue. Others are unaware that even light scents become intensified in a pressurized cabin with limited airflow.

Why It Matters: According to the American Lung Association, 30% of adults report adverse health effects from exposure to strong fragrances — including headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues. For those with asthma or scent sensitivity, it can turn into a medical situation fast. And you can't exactly escape mid-flight.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Less is more. Apply lightly, or not at all. Choose fragrance-free deodorants and body products for travel days.

• Airlines: Provide scent-free soap in lavatories. Add a polite note about scent sensitivity to pre-flight emails or mobile check-ins.

Why It Works: Minimising airborne irritants creates a safer, more comfortable environment for all. You might love your cologne — but no one should be forced to breathe it for five hours straight.

9. Aisle Rushing & Blocking the Exit: Sit Down, We’re Not There Yet

What Happens: Before the seatbelt light even turns off, half the cabin is on their feet, yanking bags from bins, clogging the aisle, and pushing forward as if the plane were sinking. Meanwhile, others are still trying to stand up or grab their gear without taking an elbow to the face.

Why It Happens: Impatience. Everyone wants to be first off the plane, afraid of missing connections or standing around too long. But ironically, this chaos slows everything down. It’s not efficiency — it’s disorder disguised as urgency.

Why It Matters: Crowding the aisle makes it impossible for those in front to safely get out. It puts stress on elderly passengers, families, or anyone needing assistance. And it’s dangerous: overhead bins pop open fast, and people can get hit. According to the FAA, most minor inflight injuries occur after landing, due to rushed exits and falling bags.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Wait for your row’s turn. Don’t rush the front unless a crew member gives you specific permission (like for a tight connection).

• Crew: Enforce orderly deplaning with clear announcements. Thank those who stay seated — reward good behaviour socially.

Why It Works: A calm exit is a fast exit. When everyone plays by the same rules, the plane clears more efficiently — and no one ends up with a suitcase to the head.

10. Disrespecting Cabin Crew: Flying Isn’t a Servant Fantasy

What Happens: Flight attendants ask passengers to sit down, wear seatbelts, or stow bags — and are met with eye-rolls, passive-aggressive comments, or outright aggression. People snap their fingers, ignore instructions, or act like the crew is there to serve, not ensure safety.

Why It Happens: There’s a dangerous misconception that crew members are just “waiters in the sky.” Add entitlement, stress, or a belief that “the customer is always right,” and some passengers treat cabin staff with zero respect. Alcohol and long delays only make it worse.

Why It Matters: Cabin crew are safety professionals first. Disrespect undermines authority, slows responses to emergencies, and creates a hostile environment. The FAA reported 2,455 incidents of unruly passengers in 2023 — many involving crew harassment. That’s not just rude — it’s criminal.

Solutions:

• Passengers: Treat flight attendants as professionals. Follow their instructions, say please and thank you, and remember: they’re trained to save your life, not fluff your pillow.

• Airlines: Back your crew. Make it clear that harassment or abuse has consequences — including being banned from flying.

  
  

Why It Works:When passengers respect the crew, everything runs smoother. There’s less tension, faster service, and a stronger sense of order onboard. The plane feels safer — because it is.

Final thoughts: It’s Not Just About Planes — It’s About People

Travel can bring out the best in us — wonder, curiosity, connection. But it can also expose our worst traits: selfishness, impatience, entitlement, ignorance. This blog isn’t about throwing stones from 30,000 feet — it’s about recognising the patterns that make air travel worse for everyone, and finding a way to do better.

Because here’s the truth: flying isn’t glamorous anymore. It’s crowded, expensive, and draining. But that doesn’t give us a free pass to lose basic human decency. In fact, shared spaces — like aircraft cabins and terminals — are where etiquette matters most.

Yes, airlines have a role. They profit from stress, upselling comfort, nickel-and-diming basic decency. They should do more to fix the system — from better boarding procedures to more inclusive seating design.

But passengers? We’re not off the hook.

We are the atmosphere of the flight.

So next time you fly:

• Wait your turn.

• Bring headphones.

• Use your damn inside voice.

• Respect the crew.

• Don’t treat a shared cabin like your bedroom.

• And for the love of all that is peaceful — if you have to sneeze, cover your mouth.

We all want to get where we’re going. Let’s make the journey suck less — for everyone.

Because travel isn’t a right. It’s a privilege. One that works best when we stop acting like we’re the only ones who matter.

Thank You

Thank you for reading and exploring with your heart wide open. If this blog resonated with you, or you just enjoy a good gripe make sure to subscribe and download your free copy of A Traveller’s Guide to Life.

Paul

NO TRAVEL NO LIFE™

Sources & Stats Mentioned:

• Expedia 2019 Airplane Etiquette Study

• FAA Unruly Passenger Reports (2023)

• Skyscanner Passenger Behavior Survey (2022)

• American Lung Association on Fragrance Sensitivity

• FAA Boarding Delay Metrics

• TripAdvisor Noise Etiquette Report (2022)