A flight attendant has strode in to settle the long running, fiercely contested debate as to who is entitled to which armrest.
Kristie Koerbel has offered some inside tips about how to handle yourself on a plane, and when fellow passengers are crossing over the line into bad manner territory.
In a New York Times piece 'Never a Reason to Take Off Your Socks': A Flight Attendant’s 12 Etiquette Rules, the aviation pro argued one passenger is entitled to two armrests.
When it comes to the middle armrest, the traveller sitting in the middle seat automatically gets first rights on both, she argued, in exchange for being squished in the middle of two people.
The people either side of them should simply lump it and deal with having just one armrest, Kristie argues, as they have the luxury of the window or easy access to the aisle.
The flight attendant went on to remind people that only their largest carry on item should be stored in the overhead bins, while smaller items go under the seat.
As the overhead lockers work on a first-come, first-serve basis, Koerbel insisted travellers should respect the unspoken rule and not remove the baggage of others to fit their own in.
Kristine offered the etiquette refresher covering many aspect of commercial air travel three years after the coronavirus pandemic locked down international travel, meaning many people are out of the habit of heading on big journeys.
When it comes to fielding requests from fellow passengers to swap seats, the aviator said no one is required to move from their reserved spot, however nicely you are asked.
"No, you do not have to switch with someone who asks you. If you have paid extra for your seat, or even if it is just an inconvenience, you can kindly say no," she wrote.
"If it is advantageous, like trading a middle seat for a window seat, or you are happy to help, please go ahead and swap."
In terms of reclining seats, while the power is yours to do so, it is courteous to check what is going on behind you before you do, as drinks may be spilled and items knocked to the floor if you don't.
If you forget your headphones, it's simply up to you to suffer the boredom that may follow and re-acquaint yourself with your thoughts, rather than subject others to the sound from your phone, Kristine argues.
When it comes to dealing with children on a plane, the flight attendant suggested parents be cautious of what they hand to their children and urged them to pick up after them.
If the child isn't yours but they are bugging you, Kristine suggested speaking to their parent rather than them.
"A nice way to approach this is to ask the parents calmly, and with a smile if they realize their child is kicking your seat. Then say it’s bothersome; is there any way you can you make the child stop?" she suggested.
