Revealed: The Five Things You Should Never Do On A Plane

The magic may have worn off after a century of air travel but getting on giant cylinder of metal and sitting in a seat in the sky is still pretty exciting.

So much so that some of us can get a bit overstimulated and act in ways we wouldn’t on the ground; but what are the most annoying things you can do on a plane?

Getting drunk, being rude and getting in the way are the main issues according to flight attendant Nuralia Mazlan who took to Q&A site Quora to spill the beans.

Here are her top tips for a plain sailing:

When boarding, sit down and stay put

If you need to get something from an overhead locker, wait until everyone’s on board. “Please do so when everyone has settled down in their seats and not while there’s a long queue of passengers trying to get to their seats as well. Your blocking the aisle and impeding the boarding process is not cool. Better yet, do it before you get into the cabin. Take out whatever you need first so you won’t be blindly rummaging through your bags for your stuff.”

Mind your manners, especially while getting on and off the plane

“Don’t get aggressive with the crewmembers. Should you have a problems, ask politely. Boarding is the peak time where everyone is doing way too many things at one go. We’re liaising not just with you but with multiple, other personnel: ground staff, cockpit crews, in-flight catering, engineering, etc., etc. Everyone’s fuse is short here, and since the door isn’t closed yet, remember it’s easier for us to call the enforcement officers and offload any, um, troublesome passengers.”

Always keep the aisle clear

“Don’t block the aisle. The aisle needs to be clear of any obstructions at all times, to prevent any unforeseen injuries. Someone else could trip on your legs or bags and fall down. I’ve tended to these types of injuries before, where a passenger trips over someone’s bag, falls down, and hits the arm rest squarely on their mouth.”

Forget about joining the Mile High Club

“Don’t do anything immoral, please. Mile High Club? Pffft. An aircraft is not your private bedroom. Getting too boozy, too drunk, or too whatever and insulting others is also not cute. You’ll be welcomed by law enforcement officers once we touch down.”

Stay seated until it’s time to get off

”I know you’re eager to exit the aircraft - me too (especially if this is my last sector), but were I to have an injured passenger on board their health would be in jeopardy now because this other passenger refuses to obey the regulations and instead chooses to be selfish. What if the captain brakes suddenly while taxiing down the runway? You’ll be thrown (or jerked) forward. This is not ideal for me either, as it’s close to midnight and I need to go home, too. Please be seated and we can all be on our way once the captain says the magic words you are dying to have repeated from the pre-landing check: “Cabin crew, disarm all doors and cross check.”

Image: WestEnd61/REX/Shutterstock