5 Airport Don’ts

(Not my image.)

Traveling can be an absolutely amazing experience or a terrible one, and a lot of that depends on the unspoken code of etiquette travelers do or don’t follow. Everyone is all too aware that some are seemingly oblivious to these courtesies. Not to be a downer here, but just thought I’d pose this as a challenge to many a traveler out there to avoid these traveling don’ts.

1. Don’t Cut Into Lines

This seems obvious but some people do it anyway. Everyone is aware of the fact that lines can get really long in airports, and no one wants to stand there any longer than they absolutely have to. Cutting into the middle of the line or even five people ahead isn’t going to save you much time in the long run and you’ll only succeed in angering the people behind you who, trust me, noticed.

2. Don’t Touch Others’ Seats

Airplanes are crowded. They always are. People are boarding, unpacking, prepping for the journey, putting carry-ons into the overhead bins around them, and pacing the aisles with crying babies. The less people moving around the better and the faster planes can get going. But sometimes finding your seat and staying there out of the way isn’t enough. Not much is more frustrating than having your seat be pushed, shoved, tapped, kicked, or used as leverage for standing up by the person behind you. Don’t be one of those people. Avoid pushing, nudging, and touching the seats in front of you and around you as much as you possibly can. When you are clipping and unclipping the tray table in front of you, they can feel it, as well as when the little tv screen is slow so it’s tapped a billion times. It doesn’t make the screen any quicker and it makes the person in front of you miserable. Just don’t.

3. Don’t Stink

This is pretty self-explanatory and you could even apply this tip to life in general and not just airports and planes. However for planes especially, everyone is stuck in the same confined space for the duration of the flight. Please do not bring foods that are three weeks old and smell like it. Try not to bring anything that has much scent at all. If something is overwhelmingly strong it doesn’t matter if it smells good or bad. Spare the people around you the headache and don’t bring anything that smells bad or super strong. And wear deodorant. C’mon. Please.

4. Don’t Shove People Forward Coming Off The Plane

This is similar to the cutting into lines tip. Everyone has been on that plane the same amount of time you have. No one is there to personally make sure that you are blocked from exiting for as long as possible. Everyone is getting off as fast as they can. Don’t shove people forward or ask them to move faster. They are. And honestly if they didn’t want to get off that plane just as bad as you do, they might slow down out of spite at such a ridiculous request. It will not make them move out of your way faster. So just don’t.

5. Don’t Make A Lot Of Noise

Whether this be choosing not to complain to the security guard or hugging your child who is trying so desperately to get your on-vacation attention, show respect to those around you by making as little noise as possible. No one likes the person who shouts halfway across the airplane and wakes everyone up, or the really loud person arguing on the phone behind you in line. Inside voices everyone. And there’s a reason headphones are always available on flights. No it’s not so that you can ignore them and play a game that beeps constantly keeping the three rows closest to you wide awake on a 9-hour flight.

Please and thank you,

Travelers Everywhere