Various, sometimes stupid, disputes over seats constantly arise on airplanes. A flight attendant told tourists on the Sun Online Travel blog who is wrong in specific situations and how to behave properly on board so as not to annoy other passengers.
An experienced flight attendant listed the most common reasons for arguments on airplanes, as well as ways to avoid them. These include:
1. Pulling on the back of the chair. When standing up, many people use the front seat to help themselves to their feet without thinking about how this will affect the person sitting in that chair. “It may not seem like it, but often when you pull on the back of the seat, it moves a little bit. We’ve seen passengers wake up or pour drinks over themselves as a result. In many cases, headphones fell out and got lost,” said the flight attendant.
The one who pulls the back of the seat is wrong in this situation. If this happened, the flight attendant advises to apologize, and not start being rude in response to the claims of the passenger in front.
“I understand that you may need help to get to your feet in such a tight space, but there are other ways to do it. Next time, try using the armrests instead of the back of the front seat to prop yourself up, or just be as careful as possible when touching the headrest of the seat in front of you,” the flight attendant advised.
2. Reclining the seat. This is a very common cause of quarrels. On the one hand, it is unpleasant for the passenger when the person in front tilts his chair and reduces his free space, but, on the other hand, he has the right to do so. “If the seat has this feature, I’m afraid the person sitting in it has every right to lean back if they want, but that doesn’t mean they have to argue about it,” the flight attendant explained.
Her advice in this situation is to go back and warn the person behind you before reclining the back of your chair. “We’ve seen broken laptop screens, spilled drinks, and even minor injuries because inattentive passengers simply pushed their seats back without warning,” she added.
For those sitting in the back, the flight attendant advises them not to get into arguments, and also to recline the back of their seat, starting a small wave of reclining seats. Another option is to tell the flight attendants about a health problem that requires you to stretch your legs as much as possible. In the case of a successful coincidence of circumstances, such a passenger can be transferred to a seat in front of which no one will be.
3. Armrests. There is a simple rule for using armrests: the person in the middle should have the most access. He is in a worse position and deserves small privileges. At the same time, the average passenger should not extend his arms or legs beyond his space.
“I know the seat is terrible and uncomfortable, especially on long-haul flights. If this is important to you, you should book another seat in advance,” the stewardess advised.