Jetiquette®…not just for private jets anymore
As the summer travel season approaches; airports and airlines are preparing for packed terminals and planes as business and leisure travelers fill seats, rub elbows and possibly lose patience. Tensions will undoubtedly run high, unless of course everyone decides to make the Jetiquette Pledge. Maybe you’ve heard of Oprah’s No-Phone-Zone-Pledge to encourage distraction-free driving by avoiding cell phone use when behind the wheel? It’s a good idea!
Well, we’ve launched our own pledge to prevent savage travel behavior that has tragically driven many to avoid travel at all costs. Civilized travelers must unite to bring back some of the courtesy and style lost since the golden age of travel! It’s time to let it be known that causing inconsiderate delays while clearing airport security or allowing unmannerly flinging of Cheerios about the airplane cabin by one’s children is completely unacceptable. There are many more faux pas to avoid but rather than rehash, we must stop and gather ourselves and solemnly swear to put an end to travel behavior blunders by one and all by pledging to do our very best to be fine examples of Jetiquette®.
Travel is meant to be an enjoyable and civilized experience; the choice is ours. It’s time to make the Jetiquette Pledge!
The Jetiquette Pledge
“I am committed to making travel a more civilized experience for myself and others by exhibiting polite, courteous and considerate behavior to all I encounter when traveling”
Examples:
- Assisting a fellow traveler who is lost to find their way to the correct concourse or gate
- Lending a cell phone to a delayed traveler wishing to notify friends or relatives
- Cleaning up after oneself after using the aircraft lavatory. Drain the sink, wipe the basin.
- Disposing of trash properly on the airplane rather than leaving in the seatback pocket or on the floor.
- Taking care to share overhead space with others
- Keeping conversation volume at low-level as to not disturb others
- Wearing appropriate clothing
- Teaching Jetiquette to our children…they are the future of travel!
and
- Politely introducing the Jetiquette Pledge concept to those who would appreciate it or should obviously need to know about it
Do you have your own pledge points you’d like to add? Please comment below.
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regarding: ?Disposing of trash properly on the airplane rather than leaving in the seat back pocket or on the floor.
there is no other way to dispose of trash other than to leave it at the seat. A traveler cannot move to a trash can inside the cabin at any time, and certainly not during landing. attendants pickup glasses and wrappers but do not solicit to take newspapers or other items
Thanks so much for commenting. Perhaps the passengers that bring newspapers and magazines on board could put them all together and walk them to the galley for disposal when finished reading them. They could possibly be read by others or disposed of properly.
Here’s a tip I use. Bring a spare plastic grocery bag from home (tucked in the bottom of briefcase). As you start to accumulate snack wrappers and such during the flight, use the grocery bag as your personal litter bag. At the end of the flight, tie the bag shut and hand to flight attendant. Or perhaps use the air sickness bag as a trash bag, but remember to hand it to the FA as they collect trash prior to landing.
Love it Bob!!!! I always appreciate it when people do this! Thanks for suggesting it as its easy and organized
Don’t use the air sick bag as a trash bag, as the FA would assume it was used for its normal intent and therefore has biowaste inside. There are several times that FAs go down the aisles collecting garbage. But I do what Bob suggests above, always travel with a few grocery bags to use for trash, and other uses.
And the part of the pledge I feel is missing:
I promise to be clean and fee of smells, body or perfume. If you can afford a plane ticket you can afford soap.
1. The back of my seat is not there for you to support yourself as you hoist yourself up out of your row and violently thrust me back.
2. No one communicates with anyone anymore. Do I mind if you recline your seat? ‘Course not, I have long legs too. Do I mind if I have no warning and you crush my knees in the process? You betcha!
3. In English, French, Spanish and Greman, seat 35A still reads the same. Not yours.
4. Please do not leave your 3-year old unsupervised while you go to the restroom and everyone has to watch him jump around on the seats and play in the aisles.
@Keke
#1 – Amen… I still remember a long MUC-CLT flight back in 2006 where the gentleman behind me do this to about 10 times. Any tips on how best to deal with this without being rude? I’ve always done my best to never touch a passengers seat; that’s why we have armrests.
A great thing to do with trash? Clean out your seatpocket and leave the trash on your seat cushion. Fa’s often help clean in between short turns. Leaving your trash on the seat cushion saves us time and ensures the pocket is cleaned out for the next group of travelers.
Also, our airline, Delta, recycles on MANY flights. I try to “manicure” the cabin as much as possible just to keep my work environment clean. I know a lot of flight attendants don’t do this, but there are many of us that do. Currently, on most domestic flights, fa’s should be recycling your plastic cups, bottles, aluminum cans and newspapers and magazines. If the flight attendants on YOUR flight are not doing this, ask them why!
We love our passengers and want to keep our airplanes as clean as we can and we appreciate any help the passengers can give us!
Wow! That is a great tip and you have a fantastic attitude! You represent flight attendants very well and I thank you for sharing your views with everyone
What a great idea! I think we can all contribute to civility not matter where we are. Ref books, I often leave them in the airline lounge. I know of a couple lounges that have a small section for take book/leave a book. Much better than carrying around more stuff!
In addition to cleaning up after yourself, how about returning the seat belt to the seat? I know the FA’s go through the cabin and straighten seats belts, but as passengers we can help them out. It’s not a big task to return the seat belt to the seat, rather than letting it hang over the side of the seat or stuck under the seat cushion.
Kind of a silly idea, lets face it.. the golden age of air travel is over. Most people avoid flying due to the insanity at the airport, TSA, and other annoyances.
Then again who knows.. perhaps 45 RPM records and poodle skirts will make a come back.. lol
Perhaps if you want calmer, more polite fliers you would set up a smoking section again and stop with the silly agenda of keeping smokers from smoking.
For me, when I fly, I look at it as an annoying MISSION. I get on the plane, talk to no one, take care of my needs, and RACE to get out of the airport. I could care less if bathrooms are clean, magazines are neat, or if I am bothering someone by reclining my seat (Its one of the reasons I recline it BEFORE anyone gets behind me.. they don’t have a say in the matter). Flying is a miserable experience anymore.. and more about survival than being polite.
Thanks for your comment Chinga! I will make sure to select a seat at least several rows away from you
It’s only recently that I learned of Jetiquette and I appreciate the proactive nature of what you’re doing! Would appreciate more advice about finding ways to share the concept with those who most need it but are not likely be aware of it. (I have definitely traveled with Chin Ga, this traveler is just one reason fliers like me do not enjoy the experience as much anymore.) I wonder if FAs could be encouraged to advise parents (in a friendly, positive way, of course) traveling with children that it’s good manners to keep their feet away from the seat in front of them, to remember that the tray table is attached to that seat so be gentle with it, etc.? This would need to be done soon after everyone is seated (in a voice that could be heard by surrounding passengers) as part of preparing the plane for take-off instead of after the fact when the passenger has become angry. I’ve been flying commercially since 1968 and the decline in courteousness is something we all can address by setting the example of what this blog is conveying. I’ve considered creating a similar blog about Hotel Etiquette! Thank you again for what you’re doing to bring courtesy back to travel!
One thing FAs and all passengers want to be mindful of are ways to prevent sky rage. Thanks to new safety regs, passengers can be pretty tense by the time they reach their seats! Two things that contribute to this are an unfriendly ticket agent and the long line at security where the traveler undresses and unpacks, and treated in a brusque and unpleasant manner by the TSA agent. While I realize that his/her job is tedious and needs to be taken seriously and I’m the 147th passenger they’ve looked over that morning, he or she is one of the first people I deal with once I arrive at the airport. The majority of us are not terrorists, we’re just trying to reach our destination to do our job or take our vacation. Those TSA agents who have smile or make a cute comment as passengers come through the archway while the laptop, shoes, jacket, etc., get checked have added positively to everyone’s experience and a passenger is more likely to be equally pleasant all the way through the flight (we all reflect the way we’re treated)! Plus, by engaging a passenger in this very brief moment,the TSA agent may be able to detect something useful to the job he/she is doing. How can we get this aspect of Jetiquette across to the folks who are performing this very important service?
Leslie, I agree with you 100%…thanks for your comments! I have noticed much improvement at the TSA and it really does make a huge difference to be treated with respect and a little empathy by the staff as it can sometimes become the most inconvenient part of the journey. They do have the ability to set the tone and I think that many TSA staff have found a way to balance their responsibilities and the need to be pleasant. To know that they have the power to positively effect so many people is hopefully seen as a great incentive in and of itself. I’ll keep my eye on the TSA:)
Don’t stand until it’s your turn to leave the aircraft. It’s annoying for the seated passengers, and you’ll not leave the aircraft any sooner – nor will it take less time waiting at the luggage belt for the luggage. Remain seated – and if you have to stand, try not to hit other passengers, seated or not, in the head with your hand luggage and other stuff…
Ohh ya, and close the door to the restroom aboard the plane… “airing out” the room is not always a good idea…
“Lending a cell phone to a delayed traveler wishing to notify friends or relatives” That is NOT a good advice. Lending out your cell phone can get your involved in a criminal activity.
On all Danish trains, they provide a few little biodegradable plastic bags, located on a special hook by the seats, as well as trash bins located at the entrances/exits. Of course the “railikette” is to bring one’s own trash bag to the bin, however it’s not really frowned upon, to leave the bag on it’s special hook. Even then it’s an easier job for the cleaning crew.
2 – 3 bags per seat onboard a flight would enable passengers to collect their trash in an orderly manner, and hand it to the FA’s when they pass through the cabin. It would also be less messy (and therefore more attractive) to carry one’s own trash to a bin by the door, at the end of the flight.
.. just a thought ..
This has been a tough week for me with four plane trips, and some really annoying passengers. 1) people who take over the arm rest: not only did I sit next to a man that had both elbows on the arm rest, he actually stretched his arm out and put his hand in my seat!!
2) sitting next to people who can’t control their children: the young mother across the aisle
could not get her 2 yr old to sit down without screaming so she allowed him to stand on her lap and play with the light fixture above them on the plane, (removing it!!!), and bouncing up and down, half the flight.
I admit to being one of those who pulls the seat in front of me when getting out of my seat, but only because the person in front of me has thrown his seat back while the plane is taking off, crushing my legs, and not even having the courtesy of putting his seat up during meals.
It is the only way I can get up and out of my seat when their seat is in my face. What do you suggest?
Love this website!!!
Hi There TPMILLBURN25 and thanks for visiting the site:) I am twitching as I read some of the infractions committed by passengers occupying the seats around you. Obviously you have nerves of steel as well as my admiration for arriving in one piece!
When someone places their seat back the minute the wheels leave the pavement and keeps it back throughout the flight, even during meals, then maybe he deserves a little tug on his seat. As a matter of fact, an air-vent directed his way might give you a giggle as well! In most cases we try to not disturb fellow “civilized” travelers by using the armrest to support yourself as you climb out into the aisle. Try this and should you fail, do what you always do; smile and say “excuse me”. How could anyone hold it against you:)