Unspoken Rule of Air Travel

[fiscal]

On my first flight in China they played an animated video. It was a cartoon about showing appropriate behavior on board.

No language problems at all. It was pretty obvious. Man takes his shoes off and the man beside him dies. Even covered issues like wearing deoderant and flushing the toilet.

What a welcome.

Love it....

I also like the NZ safety video to get your attention...

 

[Rae]

I'd love to see a video on flying etiquette shown as part of safety demonstration.

1. Please do not grip the seat in front of you to stand up - it kinda bothers the person sitting there.
2. If sitting in Y, please do not constantly dig into your seat pocket
3. If you are experiencing a flatulence problem, please remember that just because we can't hear it, we can smell it
4. Again if in Y, by all means put your seat back and recline slowly (except during meals and take off) but remember that it does bother the person behind you so only do so when neccessary
5. If you think your shoes and socks may have an odor, please consider the comfort of others before you remove them
5. When waiting for your baggage please do NOT stand an inch away from the carousel - it stops the ability of others to see their bags coming.

#5 is my main pet peeve. It doesn't mean you get your bags any faster - you simply annoy everyone else and get in their way

More...
6. When travelling on an escalator or elevator, stand on the right or walk on the left so as not to impair the movement of those behind you
7. Treat the FA's with respect and don't 'demand' stupid things - you're the one who looks like the idiot
8. Don't get yourself drunk at the QP. You look like a loser who lives for getting something for nothing.
9. If you travel with your own headphones, can you please ensure they are the type that don't emit what you're listening to as noise to your fellow passengers
10. Please please please cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. There's enough germs in the cabin already without your contribution.
11. If you are American, please don't speak on your mobile phone in public. Most of you have louder voices than the rest of the world and we don't care to hear your business.
12. When you are asked to turn off your phone or put your seat upright by the captain please do so. You are not special. You don't have rights that extend past those of everyone else who do as they are asked.

 

[Lucky_man]

...........
5. When waiting for your baggage please do NOT stand an inch away from the carousel - it stops the ability of others to see their bags coming.

#5 is my main pet peeve. It doesn't mean you get your bags any faster - you simply annoy everyone else and get in their way
......
11. If you are American, please don't speak on your mobile phone in public. Most of you have louder voices than the rest of the world and we don't care to hear your business.
......

I also am reminded about the limmitted collective inteligence of the human race at the baggage carasoul. The part I hate are the trolleys. If I designed an airport there would be poles that prevented the trolleys getting with in two metres of the carousal. Then everyone could just grab their luggage when they see it and move away. Why people are worried about some one pinching the first bag they took of while waiting for the second is another wonder - they could have just pinched it straight away off of the belt.

As much as I find it easy to blame the American race for all transgressions based on ignorance and arrogance I would not single them out for loud on the phone. I have had plenty of other nationalities do it. My trick is simple - I start a conversation with my travel companion or pretend to make a phone call and discuss loudly what he is talking about "Some guy here in the lounge just offered 1.8m for a hotel in Guanzhou - He'd better pick his usiness partner carefully". If theya re speaking aforeign language and either myself or a travel companion knows it they translate for the rest of us. Then they tend to talk very quietly or walk away.

BTW, the train from Guangzhou to HKG has a message on the notice board in the train asking you to speak quietly.

 

[dajop]

5. When waiting for your baggage please do NOT stand an inch away from the carousel - it stops the ability of others to see their bags coming.

Have you ever travelled (particularly domestically) in India? Last time I did there was just a wall of trolleys butting up against the carousel, no room for people to actually retrieve their bags. Relatively speaking, Australians are probably some of the more polite/well trained travellers when it comes to crowding at carousels (at least compared to many places).

6. When travelling on an escalator or elevator, stand on the right or walk on the left so as not to impair the movement of those behind you

Depends on the country. Follow local custom. In some countries (eg Singapore) the practice is to stand on the left and walk on the right (IIRC in the loop stations in Melbourne it is also like this). Whatever the case, it doesn't matter which side you stand on, just pick a side, and don't travel down a travellator two abreast. Usually not a big issue though, a simple "excuse me" from a walker suffices (in most places).

 

[samh004]

6. When travelling on an escalator or elevator, stand on the right or walk on the left so as not to impair the movement of those behind you.

That's more of an everyday life rule surely. In Hong Kong I rarely had issues, everyone understood you stand on one side, walk on the other, but Australia seems to be particularly bad, though I'm not just singling out Australia, I've just lived here for the past 8 years so see it a lot.

 

[Alanslegal]

I'd love to see a video on flying etiquette shown as part of safety demonstration.

+1 :mrgreen:

 

[Lucky_man]

.... but Australia seems to be particularly bad ....

As an Australian from Adelaide I am frequently told off for this type of paedestrian offence overseas. When you walk around a town where running into another paedestrian is a remote chance we were never tought the keep left or keep right rule.

 

[serfty]

OT, but as far as escalators go in different towns/regions/countries go, I simply observe the locals and do as most appear to be doing. :idea:

 

[significance]

Foot odour should not be a problem if you have good foot hygiene. Scrub your feet with soap daily. Always wear socks (admittedly difficult for women working in jobs where they are expected to wear nylon pantyhose). Change your socks and wash your feet every time you change your shoes. If a pair of shoes does start to get whiffy, immediately treat them with a suitable powder from the pharmacist.

 

[browski]

That's more of an everyday life rule surely. In Hong Kong I rarely had issues, everyone understood you stand on one side, walk on the other, but Australia seems to be particularly bad, though I'm not just singling out Australia, I've just lived here for the past 8 years so see it a lot.

The problem is that many people think that travelators/escalators are Rides, and not the faster walking tools that they were designed to be. As J. Walker says, "Just keep walking".

 

[mbeder]

Have experienced 3 recent Body Odour issues that have me questioning the hygiene of the average traveller.

Jan 2: London-Cape Town (BA) on an evening flight - unfortunately stuck in the middle seat of three with the aisle seat occupied by a large man - my wife and 2 kids were in the 3 seats directly behind. The odour eminating from the gentleman in question was so disgusting (i'm not just talking underarm odour here! :shock that I quietly requested a seat change - luckily there was a spare seat a few rows behind.
Feb 17: Syd-Hob (Virgin) on a 6.30am - I had the window seat and the large (not overweight, just big!) gentleman in the middle of three obviously had not seen a shower inteh previous 24 hours - he also seemed to think that it was ok to turn his back slightly towards me (he had long legs) and lean into my 'space' rather than sit facing forward - a polite 'excuse me, I think you're leaning into my seat' and the air vent soon fixed him.
Mar 4: Per-Syd (QF) on the red-eye - I had the window seat (1 of 2) on a new airbus - unfortnautely the large young man (again, just a big bloke) next two me must have had a tough day and the 'pits were giving off an unpleasant odour - a well directed air vent sorted him out.
While the family think it's hilarious and I can understand the humour in teh situation, I'm wondering if I have a sign on my back welcoming smelly passengers to select a seat alongside me....am not looking forward to my Syd-Hob flight next week.
Any similar stories or advice?!

 

[harvyk]

Feb 17: Syd-Hob (Virgin) on a 6.30am - I had the window seat and the large (not overweight, just big!) gentleman in the middle of three obviously had not seen a shower inteh previous 24 hours - he also seemed to think that it was ok to turn his back slightly towards me (he had long legs) and lean into my 'space' rather than sit facing forward - a polite 'excuse me, I think you're leaning into my seat' and the air vent soon fixed him.

The worst flight I've ever taken was an o'nighter where the guy next to me did this. The thing was he wasn't an overly big guy and could easily fit into his own seat without taking half my seat.

I ended up spending most of that flight squeezed into the space between my seat and the window as the guy infront reclined as soon as he got onboard (and the FA was out of view).

 

[mbeder]

...(and the FA was out of view).

harvyk it pretty much sounds like you were out of view as well!! :shock:

 

[kiwi2768]

My pet hates, in no particular order and there are quite a few, are:

1. People with iPods who think everyone else in the cabin enjoys their choice of noise.

2. The person sitting in front of me who slams their seat into the recline position the second the seatbelt light goes off.

3. I'm sitting in the aisle or middle seat and the person in the window seat wants to go to the toilet every 30 minutes.

4. The people who stand almost on top of the luggage carousel, thereby blocking everyone else from getting their bag off.

5. The kid sitting behind me who insists on kicking the back of my seat, and kids of any age who start screaming before everyone is even on the aircraft.

6. The person in the seat next to me who thinks I want to hear every detail of their life story.

Some years ago, I heard a story about a woman who took offence at being seated next to a coloured man. I believe it was in South Africa. The woman complained that she shouldn't have to sit next to this man and she should be moved to another seat. The man, not the woman, was moved to business class.

 

[mbeder]

Some years ago, I heard a story about a woman who took offence at being seated next to a coloured man. I believe it was in South Africa. The woman complained that she shouldn't have to sit next to this man and she should be moved to another seat. The man, not the woman, was moved to business class.

Think this may be one of those urban myths...have heard many varieties of the same story with a wide range of ethnicities, races and religions...it's a great one though, and one hopes that there's an element on truth in it!

 

[kiwi2768]

But wouldn't you love to be on an aircraft when something like that happened.

 

[chanteuse]

Just on the baggage carousel pet peeve; I accidentally hit somebody with my 25kg suitcase after saying 'excuse me' twice when I could see my bag was coming and they staunchly refused to move from their coveted position towering over the carousel.

I almost didn't feel any remorse when she was rude about it.

 

[kiwi2768]

I wouldn't have accidentally hit her with it. I would have hit her with it on purpose :evil:

 

[harvyk]

harvyk it pretty much sounds like you were out of view as well!! :shock:

I just put on a movie and after that managed to get a bit of shuteye, periodically poking the guy in the ribs to tell him to move back to his seat. I'll be honest if it was a cute 20 something girl I wouldn't have minded at all , the problem was it was an older unattractive guy prob in his late 30's or early 40's.

M
4. The people who stand almost on top of the luggage carousel, thereby blocking everyone else from getting their bag off.

5. The kid sitting behind me who insists on kicking the back of my seat, and kids of any age who start screaming before everyone is even on the aircraft.

#4 - Yes I hate it especially when you've got to push through to get your bags off. I these days try to travel with carry on only if I can get away with it.

#5 - There is some cases where homicide is justified... This is one of those cases, especially after spending half of the night flying back to OZ, to then take a flight connecting me back to CBR, to have a kid kicking the seat. Given I only had a couple of hours sleep in the previous 24 the look I gave the kids and more importantly his until then uncaring mum made the mum scared for the safety of her annoying little brat. And to be quite honest with good reason.

 

[kiwi2768]

We were on a MEL-PER flight a couple of years ago. A woman and a child boarded and the child headed straight to a window seat. His mother grabbed him and put him in the seat they were allocated which was in the middle row. Well, the child screamed and screamed for at least 20 minutes. The looks everyone was giving this woman were not nice. We had the misfortune of being in the row directly behind them and I seriously wanted to rip the kid's head off.