When traveling, there are certain rules to follow and things or actions that are prohibited or illegal. But there are also behaviors that some travelers do, which are not technically against the law, yet can be inconsiderate and bothersome. Sometimes, they inconvenience other passengers. Other times, they are overtly disruptive.
Travel is a collective experience, especially when flying. Unless you’re on a private plane, you’re sharing the flight with dozens or hundreds of other passengers. This is why flying etiquette is a thing. Still, many are not yet familiar with how things works at the airport and on the plane, especially for first-time fliers.
So in this article, we’ll be sharing some tips on how to be a mindful, respectful, and considerate passenger. Hopefully this helps, and if you know someone who is flying for the first time, feel free to share this with them too.
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AIR TRAVEL DOS & DON’TS
1. Let other people sit.
Let’s not place our bags on the seats when it’s obvious that there are a lot of people around, especially if we see seniors or pregnant passengers nearby. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Prada, Goyard, or LV bag. Carry it or put it on your lap because seats are meant for people.
On our last flight, most of our companions were seniors, and all priority seats were already taken. We had a hard time finding vacant seats because several bags were occupying them.
The thing with us Filipinos is, we are non-confrontational, so we just tend to stay quiet and let it be. And honestly, I get it, because we don’t always know the real situation. Maybe the bag was used to reserve the seat for a companion who’s in the restroom or buying food. We usually give people the benefit of the doubt. So, it’s better if someone within the group speaks up because they know the full picture.
For example, you’re traveling with friends or family, and one of them does this. Let’s call them Friends/Family Without Etiquette in Travel or in short, FWET (pun intended). If you are traveling with someone who is acting like a FWET, be the one to tell them to give the seat to an elderly (or PWD or pregnant) passenger.
We’re not saying we should never place our bags on seats. It’s totally fine if the boarding gate is not yet packed with people. But if it is, and we see several people standing or sitting on the floor, let’s be considerate.
Also, be aware of our surroundings. Even we have been guilty of this. There was a time when we fell asleep while the area was not yet crowded. Vins put his bag on the seas beside him. Then, we didn’t realize that the area had already started to fill up. But as soon as we noticed, we cleared the seat right away and let others sit.
And again, on our last trip with mostly senior companions, it was an early-morning flight, and a lot of people were lying down, occupying four seats at once. So, the elderly passengers were left standing because others had turned the seats into bed.
2. Wait for your turn to board.
Don’t cut in line, and wait for your turn before lining up to board.
For first-time fliers, it’s important to note that the boarding process is done by batch. We are not boarding all at once. Usually, the airline calls PRIORITY passengers first (seniors, pregnant women, PWDs) and business class passengers, if applicable. And then, the rest of the passengers are called.
Most of the time, boarding is organized by ZONE or GROUP. Your designated zone or group number is indicated on your boarding pass. So if they call GROUP 1, and you’re in GROUP 4, don’t line up yet. Let GROUP 1 finish first, so things stay organized. There’s a reason behind the grouping system, and it’s for efficiency.
Other airlines board BY ROW instead. For instance, Cathay Pacific calls passengers by row number, like Row 15-25. So just wait until your row is announced. But the problem is, as soon as the agent approaches the microphone or the boarding gate desk, people tend to stand up immediately and rush to form a line even when their group has not been called yet. So, things start to get chaotic.
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines doesn’t assign seat number at all. You really get your seat on a first-come, first-served basis. But even then, the boarding is still done by batch. You’re still assigned a group number.
On one of our previous flights, a woman lined up early, but the agent refused to process her boarding pass and asked her to step aside. She then complained that people who were behind her were already getting ahead of her. But that’s because she was part of Group 4, and they were still calling our group, which was Group 2.
Don’t get overly excited because the airplane won’t leave without you as long as you’re in the boarding area. Just follow the grouping system.
One more thing about priority boarding for seniors, PWDs and pregnant women: usually, only one companion is allowed. If there are ten of you in the family and only one senior, let the senior and one companion board first. Then, the rest of the group should wait for your turn.
What frustrates me most is that many local airlines are too accommodating. Even when staff can clearly see that it’s not someone’s turn yet, they still let them through instead of strictly enforcing the rules. But airlines in other countries really ask you to step aside and line up again. And that’s how it should be.
3. Don’t block the aisle.
This applies both when boarding and when disembarking. Do not block the aisles. When boarding, move quickly. Store your carry-on bag in the overhead bin and take your seat right away.
Don’t take other passenger’s seats. And if you’re traveling as a group and planning to switch seats, or still can’t decide who gets the window seat, save that discussion for later. Let everyone pass and get to their seats first, then swap once the aisle is clear.
Same with getting off the airplane. Don’t try to get up right after landing. It is unsafe. Most aircraft accidents don’t happen mid-air but during landing, approach, and even takeoff. Just because we’re on the ground doesn’t mean we’re already in the clear. Wait until the seatbelt sign turns OFF.
Even then, don’t rush to stand. Passengers in front exit first, and sometimes, for full-service airlines, they let people with connecting flights go ahead. And even if you try, you’ll just find yourself stuck in the aisle waiting. Instead of sitting comfortably, you’re just standing there for nothing.
Also, when you crowd or block the aisle, you’re making it harder for other passengers to get their bags from the overhead bin. You might even get hit by a luggage, then you’ll get annoyed, when you’re the one blocking the aisle in the first place.
4. Mind your smell.
Have you ever been on a flight where the person next to you had really bad body odor? On one of our flights, I think that was Orlando to Sacramento flight, the guy beside me smelled so bad. And on top of that, he kept lifting his arms to stretch! It was not a good experience.
But our worst experience was with a woman who was right behind us in a line during boarding. We could really smell her. So when we saw her take her seat three rows away and on the other side of the aisle, we felt relieved. But it was too early for us to take that sigh of relief because the smell still reached us! It was so bad that the person beside AND behind her ended up changing seats.
So, just be mindful. Expect that traveling comes with different kinds of smells. Bring an oral kit or mouthwash, especially on a long flight, to combat bad breath. If you know your feet have funky smell, don’t take your shoes off.
And it’s not just about bad smells. Avoid wearing strong perfume, just in case your seatmate is pregnant or sensitive to certain smells. Again, this is not illegal, but if you want to be considerate, go easy on the perfume. Try not to overdo it.
We experienced this in Japan. I collect perfumes, and I finally bought my dream perfume in Osaka. I really saved up for it, so I was so excited to use it that I sprayed a bit too much. When we rode the elevator, the people with us covered their noses. I was so embarrassed.
So it goes both ways. Let’s jus be conscious of how we smell.
5. Recline gently and don’t push the seat in front of you.
If your seat can recline, then you’re allowed to do so. But please do it gently for the person behind you. They might be on their laptop, and reclining your seat suddenly could damage it. Or they could be eating. Speaking of, the best practice during meal time is to keep your seat upright so the person behind you has more space.
Also, don’t tap, push, or kick the seat in front of you. So yes, be considerate of the person behind you AND the one in front of you.
If you are traveling with kids or teenagers, please remind them also. This one really gets to me because I experienced it first hand. Every time I was just about to fall asleep, the person behind me would kick my seat. I couldn’t sleep at all! And this was a long-haul flight. We were coming from Barcelona, I think. And it was a teenager. Someone old enough to know better. It got to a point where I had to ask a flight attendant to step in.
Anyway, since we’re already talking about seats…
6. Follow the armrest rule.
Armrests are the battleground of economy class. Because think about it: three seats have a total of four arm rests. But many people agree that the middle seat gets both armrests.
The window seat already has the armrest next to the wall and the actual wall. There’s something to lean on and a view. The aisle seat provides extra space or legroom. For the middle seat? Not much. Honestly, it’s the least comfortable seat.
Imagine, if the window-seat passenger takes both armrests, and the aisle-seat passenger does the same; what’s left for the person in the middle seat? So in the spirit of fairness, equality, and justice (JUSTICE?!), the middle seat should get the right to both armrests.
7. Be quick and clean in the lavatory.
Don’t take too much time in the restroom. Remember that there are only a few lavatories on board. Imagine someone waiting for you for so long, and when it’s finally their turn, a turbulence hits. It’s not a good feeling being caught in turbulence inside the lavatory. You are much safer in your seat when that happens.
Also, don’t make a mess in the restroom. Throw your trash properly into the trash bin. Keep it tidy out of respect for the next person and for the flight attendant who has to clean up.
Speaking of flight attendant…
8. Treat the crew with kindness.
Flight attendants are trained professionals who are there to keep you safe and the journey smooth. They are not your servants or babysitters. And being a passenger doesn’t give you the right to disrespect them in any way. Let’s treat them with kindness. Their job is not easy. Don’t give them attitude for no reason.
Sure, we’ve encountered a few FAs who were a bit grumpy, even though we were not doing anything wrong. But most of the time, they’re very patient. A simple “hi” when you board, a smile, or a “thank you” when they hand you snacks goes a long way. Be polite and decent.
Avoid inappropriate comments also. Yes, a lot of flight attendants are good-looking, but that doesn’t give you the right to be inappropriate to someone, even to your fellow passengers.
We’ve even experienced seeing a passenger mocking a flight attendant during a safety demo just to get her attention because he thought she was attractive. It was not cool. It was plainly disrespectful. That’s what we call ultimate PWET (Passenger Without Etiquette in Travel) move. Let the flight crew do their job in peace.
Vins’s favorite memory with flight attendants was the one when we flew to Hong Kong, and they kept bringing us food and snacks. Mine was on a long-haul flight, when the FA moved us to a row with no one next to us. We got one row each all to ourselves, so we were able to sleep better.
Sometimes, being nice to the FAs has perks, too. But more than the perks, it’s the right thing to do.
9. Keep quiet.
This one is quick, since it’s very straightforward.
Don’t be too loud because many people are trying to sleep on the flight. Keep conversation at a reasonable volume. And if you’re watching something on your phone or listening to music, use your earphones. On our last trip from Puerto Princesa, the passenger in front of us was watching videos on her phone at full volume.
Also, if you’re a light sleeper, bring ear plugs to help block out the noise.
10. Stay behind the yellow line at the carousel.
Your airplane has finally landed, and you’re about to pick up your luggage.
At the baggage carousel or claim area, you’ll usually notice signs or floor markers that say: WAIT BEHIND YELLOW LINE. Sadly, many people ignore this and crowd right pas that line. But what is actually the purpose of this yellow line?
Basically, it’s there to create a gap between the carousel and the people waiting to claim their bags. But why? Here are the reasons:
- Safety. It’s for your own safety. When people lift their bags from the carousel, they tend to swing it to the side, especially when it’s heavy. If there’s no gap, there’s a possibility that the luggage could hit you or the people behind you. Step forward only when you’re about to pick up your luggage.
- More time to check or spot your luggage. Before picking anything up, always check first if it’s really yours because most suitcases look the same. By staying behind the yellow line, you are giving others enough time (and space) to identify and collect their luggage.
- Temporary space for claimed bags. After retrieving your luggage, you can use that gap or space to briefly set down your bag before you find your way through the crowd. Just make sure to leave the gap as soon as you have your bag.
What other tips would you add to this list? Have you had any experiences related to what we mentioned? Share them in the comment section below. And remember plan smart, travel safe, and make every trip WORTH IT!
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Updates Log
2026 2 17 – First uploaded
Edited by: Asta Alvarez
