Since airplanes are full and many travelers appear to have short fuses, there are certain rules of etiquette to consider while flying.
The summer travel season is officially in full swing.
Since airplanes are full and many travelers appear to have short fuses, there are certain rules of etiquette to consider while flying.
Though you may feel confined, the first point to remember is that you're in a shared space, former flight attendant Elaine Swann tells Inside Edition.
"I think what happens is, people feel it's confined, so somehow it's private. it's not private! You are still in a very public place and so we cannot be doing private things in a public place," she says.
Social media is loaded with videos of obnoxious passengers sticking out their bare feet to relax. That's a big no-no, Swann says.
"We don't want to see your feet," she says. "We should not be putting our feet on the back of the seat, we should not put our feet on the chairs or in between on the armrests or anything, keep your feet flat on the floor."
Swann notes that etiquette dictates that the person sitting in the middle seat of a row on an airplane gets to claim both armrests.
"A lot of people may not agree with this, but they do," she says.
She also noted that you need not ask permission from the person sitting behind you before reclining your seat.
"The answer is no. The seats were made to lean back, so you just do it," she says.
This also applies to your window shade and whether or not it's open or closed.
"The person sitting next to the window, they are the controller of that window shade," Swann says. "That's the bottom line."
What do you do if a child is kicking your seat?
"Do not discipline anyone's child because that can really start a big fight," Swann says. "Instead, address the parent or guardian who's with the child, and be honest and let them know exactly what's happening. [Say] 'Your little one is kicking the seat. Can you please ask them to refrain from doing so?'"
And don't expect a flight attendant to help you hoist your bag into the overhead compartment.
"When you're at home, and you're packing your bag, if you can't lift it, then know that you have to check it," she says.
Lastly, be mindful of how much time you're spending in the bathroom.
"Don't over do it," she says. "It's OK for you to go in, maybe freshen up, brush your teeth or what have you, but we shouldn't make this a whole makeover session in the bathroom."
