Traveling is difficult for anyone now days whether you do it occasionally or weekly. I am sure you have some hair raising stories from your travels… Here are the hot buttons that irritate me to no end….they all revolve around two words…being inconsiderate!
As summer travel approaches consider these tips that will benefit everyone in front or behind you!
1. Carry on only 2 bags per person
I don’t know why some people believe they are excused from this policy. Last week I saw a couple that had 3 carry-ons each…now you might think why does it matter… it does matter if you don’t travel much and you are in the final boarding group. You may not find overhead space for your carry-on luggage. Some think…it’s just one extra bag what’s the big deal… once you have your bag checked because 50 other people have thought the way you do…. you will have an ahha moment as to why this rule is important.
2. Put one bag under your seat
“Welcome aboard….tonight we have a completely full flight. We would like everyone to put a smaller item under the seat in front of you to ensure all roller bags can be placed in the overhead compartments.” Have you heard a close version of this…for some reason, I find many men don’t think this applies to them, but IT DOES! If everyone did this all the luggage would get on the planes.
3. Travelers beware of backpacks, oversized purses and duffle bags
Now many women are at fault on this one. They are carrying a big purse on one shoulder and a fancy duffle bag on the other…as they turn to talk to the person behind them someone like me, sitting in the aisle seat, gets a bag in their face….Its a war zone on the plane. I have been hit and seen other passengers have a near miss with a shoulder slung bag, and backpacks! This is especially serious when a person with a roller bag and a big purse has to put the roller bag in the overhead….On my flight yesterday I saw the purse coming right at me…not once, but three times as the person was trying to fling her luggage overhead… never thinking what was happening to that purse on her shoulder until I had to ask her to put it on the floor! She was shocked to see she had hit me.
4. The reclining seat
You sit in your seat oblivious to anyone behind you….The plane takes off and your finger is activating that little round button that will recline your chair so you can drift into a peaceful slumber….or saw logs… zzzzzzz…after all you bought that seat right?
You might consider glancing around to see if the person behind you is working on a laptop so it isn’t rammed into their stomach when you recline. You might also be sure the person can easily get out of their seat if they need to use the restroom! Once when sitting in first class…I had to climb over the arm of the chair to get out of my seat.
5. Children kicking the back of the seat in front of them.
I have had children and traveling with children today can be challenging. Babies and very young children get a lot of grace on a plane, but once they are older it is really helpful for parents to oversee their children in their seats to insure the traveler in front isn’t being disturbed….I was on a flight last week in which a young boy walk down the aisle right after take off to go to the restroom. The flight attendant had the child return to his seat with his mother…when it is an emergency ring the flight attendant call button!
Happy Travels….and remember that a little thoughtfulness can go along way for everyone on the plane.