As the holiday season kicks off, flights are increasing, and so are viral videos of 'disgraceful' passenger behavior. To help you avoid becoming a social media spectacle, Thomas P. Farley — known as Mister Manners — a New York-based etiquette expert, has shared five things he wishes people knew before boarding a plane. From offering the middle seat a 'consolation prize' to avoiding inflicting 'whiplash' on the person in front, these are the non-negotiables for flying this summer.
1. Armrests go to the middle-seat passenger
In a crowded environment, the scarcity of armrests becomes a sensitive subject. 'In a three-seat layout of window/middle/aisle, the two outer passengers are guaranteed at least one armrest,' Thomas says. He explains that everyone gets a perk except the middle-seat passenger. 'The window passenger gets a view and a wall to lean on for sleeping. The aisle passenger gets easy egress for bathroom breaks and stretching. The middle passenger gets torture.' Because of this, 'ceding the armrests to that individual is a small but meaningful consolation prize,' he adds.
2. Airspace is sacred
If you're flying on a budget airline, space is limited, so sticking to your designated area is the least you can do. 'No passenger — middle-seat or otherwise — may extend arms, elbows or knees beyond the narrow chasm of space designated for another seat,' Thomas says. 'Manspreading and elbow-spreading are inconsiderate actions that make an already tight and uncomfortable journey that much more unpleasant for the person being encroached upon.'
3. Touchscreens should be tapped, not mashed
Kicking or pushing the seat in front is an obvious no-go, but Mister Manners points out a more subtle issue: navigating the touchscreen. 'A forceful push onto one's seatback video screen will be experienced by the passenger in front of you,' he says. 'Poorly responsive as the surface may be to a light tap, a passenger having difficulty with touchscreen controls should not resort to giving others whiplash in order to call up their in-flight movie.' If you experience an issue, call for a flight attendant's attention.
4. Window shades are for the window seat
'Window shade position — open, closed or partially so — is at the sole discretion of the window-seat passenger, unless directed otherwise by a flight attendant,' Thomas says. 'With that said, particularly on final approach, the window passenger should consider that their row mates may wish to enjoy the incoming views of a city or landscape.' In this case, Thomas advises: 'Opening the window fully and not positioning one's body so as not to block the entire view — e.g., face pressed up against the window — assures that everyone can appreciate the wonders to be taken in once a plane has dropped below cruising altitude.'
5. Don't cram the aisle on arrival
Almost as bad as clapping after landing, Thomas says you should also avoid standing to leave immediately. 'Stepping into the aisle immediately upon gate arrival creates a logjam and serves no purpose except to prevent anyone with a tight connecting flight from exiting the aircraft quickly.' While we all need to stretch and get on our way, 'stepping into the aisle should occur only when it is your aisle's turn to exit,' Thomas advises. 'As an alternative, the aisle passenger can consider unbuckling and standing in place rather than moving into the aisle.'
