International Travel
7 things never to do on a plane
There are few things more exciting than going on holidays to a new, exotic destination, but in our state of excitement, many of us let manners, common sense and logic go out the plane door. To avoid embarrassment, discomfort and even sickness on your next flight, Adrianne, an ex-flight attendant has taken to online forum Reddit to highlight seven things all travellers should avoid doing at 36,000 feet.
- Don’t take a seat in first class – unless you have a ticket, or are the absolute last person to board and are allowed to choose your seat, resist the urge to choose first class. “You will get embarrassed,” Adrianne says. “Sometimes the gate agents will come on and upgrade someone at the last minute, so yeah... don’t do it.”
- Don’t drink tea or coffee – a hot brew is great for calming flight nerves, but Adrianne makes a good point – “how often do you really think those tanks are cleaned?”
- Don’t try and join the “Mile High Club” – many couples may think they’re subtle enough to get intimate at 36,000 feet, but they should think twice before sneaking off to the bathroom. “We can pretty much see what everyone is doing on the plane for the most part,” Adrianne says. “I would see two people going in the bathroom easily.”
- Don’t do a number two – while this one can be totally unavoidable sometimes, it’s the bane of flight attendants’ work lives. “Sometimes I get it, you just have to go but damn, close the door behind you…”
- Don’t use the bathroom during boarding – go to the toilet before boarding or wait until you reach cruising altitude, otherwise “you are really getting in the flight attendant's way.”
- Don’t eat off the tray tables – if a bit of food drops onto the tray table, resist the temptation to pick it up and eat it. “The overnight crew cleans the aircraft,” Adrianne says. “But I would say [they clean it], very rarely.”
- If you’re a nervous flyer, don’t sit in the back – “Try to get a seat assignment near the front of the aircraft. Turbulence is always going to be worst in the back of the aircraft.”
What travel tips have you picked up through the years? Share them with us in the comments below.
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