When people talk about their travel experiences, more than often they have some stories to tell about a particular traveller they encountered at the airport who had been behaving like a savage barbarian in a cultured world. Of course in public places like airports and also while flying, there are several etiquettes to follow lest somebody else will be suffering for your bad manners and telling a story about you and your uncivilized and uncouth manners. So let’s go ahead and discuss some of the important etiquettes that you need to follow inside an airport and an aeroplane.
At The Airport –
- Don’t Hang Back – When you enter the airport you can see that there is a long queue at the check-in counter to the security scan. Instead of reaching the counter and then trying to fish out your passport or boarding tickets and delay the person standing behind you and ruining his day, you can make use of the queue to get all your needed documents ready. This makes it easy for everybody. Similarly at the security scan, start getting ready before it’s your turn by unzipping your laptop case, checking if you have coins in your pocket, taking out the water bottle, and so on.
- Do Not Cut Queue – When everybody else is following the queue, it looks very odd that you break the queue as well as the rules. Other passengers too are in a hurry just like you to board the plane. Just have a little patience and wait for your turn.
- Don’t Block Seats – Many a time we don’t even realize that we have blocked another seat when we keep our belongings on the empty chair next to ours, which will leave other passengers standing. Be thoughtful as the other passenger too is carrying some luggage along with him or her and needs a place to sit after standing in a queue for a long time.
On The Plane –
4. Greet Your Co-Passenger – There is no harm in smiling and saying a hello. A gesture of politeness will put the other person with whom you will be spending a long flight at ease.
5. Use the Space under the Seat – If your handbag can go under the seat, use that space so that other passengers who have a larger bags can use the cabinet.
6. Seating Etiquette – Do not kick the front seat, as it can disturb the person seated in front of you. Do look behind and check before you recline so that the passenger behind you knows that you are going to recline. The person behind you may be working on a laptop, but checking behind and informing that you are reclining, it will give the person a chance to close his laptop before your seat crushes it.
7. Getting Off the Plane – When the plane lands everybody is in a hurry to get down pushing and shoving each other. Instead, give space to the people seated in front of you to get off the plane first. Even if you hurry, you will still have to wait to collect your luggage and who knows your luggage might come in the end.
Nguyen An Tra My
Martin Wynn
