By Jeff Bogle
Flight attendants know a thing or two about how to travel well. These smart tips will make your flights exponentially safer, more efficient, and more comfortable for you and other passengers.
Learn from the professionals
Whether you fly often enough to be a whiz at airplane trivia or are preparing to board your very first flight, knowing the unspoken rules of flying can help you travel more efficiently and ensure that you, other passengers, and the crew are safe and comfortable in the air.
Falling asleep unbuckled is dangerous
You never know when the plane will fly into turbulence or experience an unexpected emergency. Flight attendants on the best airlines in America advise that you should stay buckled while seated and while snoozing in order to stay as safe as possible in the air.
Too much caffeine makes you restless
“When you’re flying long-haul, the number one rule is to drink plenty of water because the air circulation can dry out your skin,” says Lauren Guilfoyle, a flight attendant for the world’s best airline. She suggests avoiding caffeinated drinks and instead sticking to water and fruit juices to help foster a much-needed snooze in the air.
Going barefoot in the cabin is unsanitary
While the cabin of each plane is cleaned before every flight, germs can still linger on the floor. Guilfoyle says that sometimes glasses are dropped and broken, or our youngest travelers leave crumbs, so there could be sharp objects and food on the floor.

Having your own pen will be helpful
Vanessa Settimi, a Swoop Airlines flight attendant and in-flight instructor, says that passengers flying internationally should always have a pen with them in their carry-on luggage. This is because you might need a pen to fill out your customs card in order to land in a new country (or back home after traveling abroad), and there are only so many on board to lend!
Use the bathroom consciously
You are sharing a space with hundreds of others for a few hours (or more), so be sure to always flush the toilet, wash your hands, and wipe up the sink area when done, and then be sure to close the bathroom door when finished.
You can ask for a meal to be warmed
If you need to bring your own food for dietary reasons, or have a special meal for a child or other loved one, and that food needs to be heated up, Jessen Leroy, a flight attendant with French Bee, says passengers can politely ask their flight attendants to warm their meal in the microwave on board.
Take every opportunity to dispose of trash
Flight attendants make repeated trips up and down the aisle with trash bags, especially as the plane lowers from cruising altitude and approaches its destination. So be kind and toss your protein-bar wrappers, breakfast-sandwich packaging, and folded-up newspapers before landing. This simple act of kindness will help flight attendants turn over the plane faster and ensure the next flight departs on time.
Be prepared on departure day
Settimi also suggests that passengers have patience, with themselves and others, on departure day. Simple things like “planning ahead and getting to the airport early so you’re not feeling rushed, especially if you are pre-clearing customs,” may go a long way toward providing a seamless travel experience in the air. If you plan your day and have patience, you will feel less stressed once aboard and be able to relax and enjoy the best parts of the flight, like using inflight Wi-Fi to watch your favorite movie.

Wear layers and dress sensibly
“Now this might just be the flight attendant in me,” says Settimi, “but you will never catch me flying as a traveler in sandals and a tank top!” The flight attendant says that she and her peers in the sky always have safety and emergency scenarios in their minds, and because of that she recommends wearing clothing onto a plane that’s comfortable and easy to move in (including shoes that won’t slip off if you need to make a quick exit).
Cooler cabins help with motion sickness
Settimi would like passengers to know that she and her fellow flight attendants don’t control the thermostat. “Temperature in the cabin is controlled by the pilots,” she says, “so even though travelers often ask to get the temperature turned up during flights, it is kept on the cooler side.” This is because a cooler cabin helps passengers who are prone to fainting or have motion sickness during turbulence.
Use headphones to block out noise and enjoy your movies and music
Though the nature of being on a plane may not make you think of quiet, rest, and relaxation, Settimi assures passengers that the flight attendants try their best to keep what we call a “silent cabin.” What that means is that if you are planning on watching one of the 100 funniest movies of all time or listening to one of the best audiobooks, flight attendants ask that you have headphones, and if you plan on wearing wireless ear buds, that you keep track of them, as they have a habit of falling out of ears and getting lost in the seat cushions. Before getting ready to leave the aircraft, always do a final sweep of your seat and the surrounding area to ensure you haven’t left anything behind!
Avoid showing off your frequent flier status
If you fly often enough to have earned frequent-flier status, know that it won’t help you switch to a better seat once you’re on the plane. Flight attendants don’t have the authority to make upgrade decisions, so don’t put them in an awkward spot by asking them for one.
Dispose of used diapers in the lavatory
On a longer flight with a baby, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to change a diaper at some point. But, when flying with your infant, don’t hand a flight attendant a used diaper. Either throw it away in the lavatory trash can or wait until trash bags are circulated after meal and beverage service and put it into the trash bag yourself.

Don’t touch the beverage cart
Got the munchies or need a napkin? You can get anything you need, as long as you’re patient. “Some passengers feel they can just grab, touch, or help themselves to anything on our cart,” says one international flight attendant. The reason you shouldn’t is about health. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s potentially unsanitary for passengers to touch the food and beverages being offered to others, which makes flying uncomfortable and potentially unpleasant for the crew and other passengers.
Be conscious of where you put your feet
When you’re flying coach, airplane seat space is limited, so you have to get creative to get comfortable on a long-haul flight. However, flight attendants have observed passengers putting their feet on seats, tray tables, and on other passengers’ armrests. This might make the flight more comfortable for you, but you could be putting your fellow passengers in a difficult position. To make everyone’s flight better, avoid putting your feet in other people’s space.
https://www.rd.com/list/things-flight-attendants-wouldnt-do/