I fly the friendly skies a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean I could probably wallpaper a 5,000-square-foot house with all of the boarding passes I’ve accumulated. So needless to say, I’ve observed some pretty peculiar — and sometimes extremely rude — behavior on airplanes.
Next time you board a plane, keep a few of these tips in mind to make sure you aren’t that passenger that everyone dreads getting stuck next to.
• Don’t talk loudly on your phone. If you’re in your seat, remember you have dozens and dozens of new friends within a stone’s throw of you and your loud voice. It’s one thing to quietly answer a call from your kid’s babysitter and quickly answer her question about where the M&M’s are stashed; it’s a whole different thing to loudly discuss your drunken adventures from the night before with your bestie. Nobody wants to know about the countless girls you hit on.
• This leads nicely into my next tip: Don’t board the plane smelling of liquor. I don’t care if it’s the four shots you pounded at the airport bar to curb your anxiety about flying or if it’s last night’s smelly residue. Use a breath mint, wash your pits and mask that smell for your seatmate.
• Treat the flight attendants with respect. There is nothing worse than seeing someone unnecessarily harass the flight crew. You aren’t alone on this plane and we’re all trapped in a confined space for the next few hours, so let’s play nice.
• When we’re boarding, don’t get up to get your beef jerky out of your backpack in the overhead bin. Have what you’ll need for the flight ready beforehand, so you’re not holding up a long line of people. Remember how anxious you were to get to your seat and sit down? So are we — so have your stuff organized before you even sit.
• Can we make a pact to stop kicking, pulling, pushing and tampering with the seat in front of us? Again, this goes back to the whole idea of ‘Remember how desperately you wanted a peaceful flying experience?’ Yeah, we all do. So, let’s do our best to keep our extremities under control when we’re 10,000 feet above the Earth.
My rule of thumb is to treat others the way you would like to be treated — and your next six-hour flight just might be pleasant for you and everyone around you.
LOL! Awesome advice and really cute picture 🙂
Jenny, I’m a flight attendant and appreciate this! Right on, madam!
Great tips !!you two are just the cutest couple!!
Agree! Love you guys!
Totally agree with you on this!
I once had a flight where the a-hole passenger was seated in an exit row. You HAVE to verbally say yes to agree to help people off the plane or get moved. This guy just had to say yes, but he didn’t, the flight attendant repeatedly asked for a verbal confirmation and HE got pissy about it to the point he was almost kicked off the plane. Not sure who peed in his cheerios that day but there was no need for him to be an ass, a simple “yes” was all he had to give!
Agree with all your tips. Love reading your blogs
Thanks Jenny
Kudos Jenny✌?️
Never annoy a person who serves you food waitress attendant.
Never annoy a geek he can empty your bank account
And always be nice to women as they are the
People who create tomarrows leaders !
If I ever fly…I will def keep these in mind! Thanks for sharing
Hiya love having done my share of flying myself this spot on. I think at times we are so excited or anxious to get to our destination that it becomes our only focus. My grandmother use to drill the golden rule into my head “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and at times we all forget it. Thanks for the reminder and enjoy the rest of your day. Cheers Tray
PS – you two look so cute!
You are so correct and beautiful
I have one to add. If you or the little person you are flying with has a game, movie, music or anything that makes sound, please don’t forget headphones. The plane full of people don’t need to hear Dora The Explorer the entire flight.
I’ve personally have never flown before but all the suggestions is agreeable. And seems right on. It’s the same thing as if you were riding a bus somewhere.
#1 Please mom & dads if your child gets sick on the person next to you offer them a wet wipe and apologize ,laughing at them will piss them off.
#2 I feel bad for all moms who have their baby in tow please keep your baby stuff manageable I paid for my seat too and I want to put my small purse in the space under the seat in front of me , your stuff is enough for 6 babies and the entire plane .
#3 What is so dang important that you must gab with your mouth full .
#4 Make out when you get there and feeling up your girl/boy friend is not cool in front of me or my mom.
#5 dress like your going somewhere your pjs are not travel wear.
#6That huge salami and limburger cheese sandwich your eating will without a doubt give you gas between your burbs are …..
#7 I hate turbulence too but grabbing my arm and digging your nails in me while you pray the Hail Mary I am ok with the prayers but I do not know you Typhoid Mary
#8I am small 5 feet tall yes my legs are short but laying down with your seat so your head is in my lap on a 35 minute flight is a no no
# 9 I do not want to know every story about your family and no I do not think your baby is a going to win top model one day , all babies are cute but they grow up and your baby is not going to win top model
#10 Your family fight between you and your husband is making me nervous and I do not need to hear about how hard it is to get him to listen . Trust me he hears you they hear you on the ground …..
I always take candy (1 pound) for the flight crew. After seeing many of them be mistreated by passengers it’s just the right thing to do. And it pays off too… free drinks, free movies… and move up to first class on occasions.
And don’t get mad at the gate attendant when the flight is delayed it’s not their fault.
Jenny your right on the money as usual. Good tips.
I totally agree with you.. The phone thing.should also be practiced on “ground” too!! You both look cute and happy.. Any plans of you both coming to Vancouver BC Canada?? Maybe doing a show?? Take care!!
Excellent points to share, which..in my book…are all “common sense” items but so many people do not have “common sense”…no matter where…plane, grocery store, library etc.
Very nice photo!
I love it! I commute weekly between two states, and fly more than I drive these days. I agree with all of the above and would add, please don’t push and shove your way off the plane, rather, take a breath and wait your turn. I’ve seen people trample the elderly and have had people wheel bags over my feet trying desperately to deplane. It’s one thing if the flight is late and someone might miss their connection, but SWA rocks and we are usually early!
Don’t forget our arch enemy…garlic. I too am allergic and some people really reek of garlic. A flight from Korea nearly killed me. Bad breath!
These are excellent tips for everyone to keep in mind! Thank you Jenny!
Absolutely agree & well said…great advice for those of us that travel whether business or pleasure or both.
We should print these ideas on cards and hand them out to people while we are waiting to board! Love you Jenny!
How do you handle a child kicking the back of your seat & climbing over your seat when the parents do nothing to control their child? (This question does not include mentally challenged children)
Pepper spray
Why would it not include all children special needs or not. The can learn appropiate behavior to just differently My husband and I are disabled and kicking the back of a seat once or more on airplane will have us both in pain for hours. This also comes from a retired teacher and aide who worked with special needs. My point golden rule like Jenny said and be considerate of others. You never know who is sitting next or in front or back of you. I also agree that parents and adults need to consider this when deciding whether to fly with any child or adult with any type of issues or needs before getting on a plane and be prepared. Are there circumstances were a child or adult may not be able to handle being on a plane yes. That’s a fact common sense works wonders in any situation.
Ruth, W All the suggestions are great. From my experience I would only like to add one more tip, please control your pets on board the plane. They should not roam freely. Keep them in your space.
I would add that if you must dine on sushi, Indian food, or any other equally pungent cuisine, please eat it in the terminal and stop saving it for when the seatbelt sign goes off. Spare the rest of the passengers from smelling that the entirety of our journey together. Believe it or not, we humans can actually make it an entire flight without starving to death.
You are right on the money Jenny. Some just don’t think of others. You and Donnie are so cute in this picture. You both are the true meaning of love??
Well said, and add when you are boarding the plane please do not put the boarding pass in your mouth then hand it to the agent at the gate. Nobody wants to touch it after its been in your mouth–eww
Good on you. Yes we have had the non privilege of flying with such people. Everyone is traveling in a tin can. We come from all walks of life, stink is a part of all, the thing is that some of us do something about it… daily. Manners are a must for all, for all.
I Jenny & Donnie love you both so much! This is awesome! Your a beautiful happy couple!! Even if you don’t bring back your show, I’m happy I can still see the two of you on periscope ? ? Have a safe flight!!
You know… Headphones. Freaking headphones. I can not tell you how many times I have had to listen to someone’s awful music, game noises, or children’s show. Why is it so hard for people to wear headphones?!
Amen sister!! Cute pic of you and Donni 🙂
Had a man dressed in a business suit in the seat behind us take off his shoe and sock and start clipping his toenails!
And if I can add something. Treat the flight attendants nicely. They work really hard dealing with the drunks, or rude people. They don’t start getting paid until those doors close. By the way I am not a flight attendant, I just respect what they do. Just get in and get your stuff stowed as quickly as possible so everyone can get seated and can take off.
One flight I had flying from the UK back to Vancouver of course families and elderly bored first I do not have an issue with that. However my issue was that a couple with an infant was sitting in the middle row first row before Premium economy (british airways flight). They took over the overhead bin above where they were sitting as well as the overhead bin where I was sitting. I had to put my carry on 10 rows behind me. I even had there bag fall on my head with no apology.
OMG!! Last month we went on a flight where my husband leaned back his seat and the idiot behind him pushed his seat so hard it pushed it straight up. Then when my husband leaned back a little to get out of his seat the guy literally punched the seat several times.
8 hour flight is not fun sitting straight up. The guy also could have asked my husband not to lean back so far since he probably had long legs. I would have been more than willing to switch seats.
F-ing asshole!!!!!!!!
btw I am sick of the big ass pieces of luggage people haul on to the plane. Takes tons of time through security, then it takes up the space, and they hit you as they are going down the isle. Then they get away with not having to pay for check in. Pisses me off.
Oh boy I have some stories after flying 780,000 miles in 3 years. I have 1 more thing to add about treating the staff nicely I always do even though you get one that is an asshole. …But one day we were flying back from Maui to Dallas and they said the menus were in the seats in front of us. Of course, we had the seats that didn’t have the menus. When they came by I asked the guy what the sandwiches were he said ‘They are the same sandwiches I had when we flew to Maui’, and he went on to the person behind us. Holy Shit!!! I told him ‘I flew first class so I don’t know what the menu is and we didn’t have one. Plus we have a home in Maui so where did he get off assuming that we flew there. He then came back later and told me, to late buddy. I got his name and informed AA how horrible he was.
Love you Girl!! You are spot on!!