There seems to be a lot of new flyers hitting the air lately so let's start a list of proper procedures for flying. Please add to this list.

1. If you are seated in row 25 do not leave your carry on above row 5 just because you were allowed to board early and all the overhead bins are empty.
2. If you have more than one carry on (roller luggage and laptop bag) you should gate check the luggage if the flight is full. This helps your fellow passengers by allowing everyone to keep their laptops, books, dvd's, briefcases, etc...reasonably accessible during the flight.
3. If you know that you need frequent 'potty breaks' while traveling then don't choose a window seat. If you were automatically put in the window seat than explain to the others in your row and offer to change to the aisle.
4. Just because you are allowed to use your cell phone until the cabin door closes does not mean you have to use it. The same goes for the after landing. Call your ride and tell them you've landed and let the more important calls wait until you are off the plane.
5. If you are guilty of number 4, at least talk softly in to your phone. I don't need to know what customer is a pain in the butt, who at the office is getting fired, and what has happened to your portfolio this week.
6. Don't take reading material in to the lavatory. Yuck!
7. When you use the lavatory dry out the sink with your paper towel after you wash your hands. If you are a guy and you splattered a bit due to turbulance....clean that up too!
8. Don't leave trash in your seatback pockets at the end of the flight. The FA's always come around and ask for this stuff so there is no need to leave it behind.
9. Elbow space in the main cabin....well I don't know of a good rule so just be polite. If nothing else at least keep your elbow from going over the arm rest and in to your neighbors territory.
10. Farting: If you have to release a little gas please use the lavatory. You cannot redirect the smell using the overhead air vents. It just doesn't work.
11. When you are getting up and down resist the urge to use the seat in front of you as an anchor point. It is worse than kids feet in their back.

I can't say that I agree with you, on a number of points, as highlighted below.

12. If you need to exit the plane quickly for a tight connection, please try to be near the front, so you're not trying to force your way through the crowd from row 85.

13. If they haven't called your row, or elite status, please remain seated, and don't block the boarding door, for people who have been called to board.

14. When you board the plane please make sure the bag over your shoulder or the roll-a-board you are pulling does not hit me - just because I boarded with the elite

15. You get to use the First Class check-in line and talk to an agent instead of a kiosk. Congrats. Be polite, but don't tell her your life story. I want to check in too. If you're trying to do some complicated re-booking, try calling the elite line first before holding up the check-in line.

Isn't this more of a TravelBuzz topic?

My 2 cents: not everybody is well traveled and more importantly, not everybody is polite or considerate. Yes, it would be nice if all the pax would make sure that people around them are in no way inconvenienced, but let's be realistic here: not gonna happen. I found that once you learn to relax and just brush some things off, flying gets much better.

Moving to TravelBuzz!

slippahs
nwa WorldPerks forum co-moderator

How does this affect you? I can keep the reading material as uncontaminated as any of my clothing, so why "yuck"? I'll agree not to take your reading material into the lav.

You can redirect the smell. That's the point; shift the blame.

16. If you are traveling with the family and have moved everybody up into preferred seating you unfortunately have given up the rights to your usual travel routine. Now you have "keep an eye on the kids" added to your list of travel do's. Some examples of things to keep a look out for would include: 1) making sure the headphones stay in the headphone jack for the portable DVD player (i know they don't feel nice on your ears junior, but it is more considerate for all of the road warriors up here in the front), 2) keep the volume on the PSP, DSII, DSI, Game Boy deluxe or whatever other hand held mind manager the kids are playing OFF (or use the headphones - see #1) , 3) and of course watch the kicking feet. Everyone should appreciate that 1-10 kicks fall in the kid curiosity/accident realm, but >10 kicks fall in the lack of supervision department.

On a long transpac, sometimes having a number 2 is just not avoidable. Reading material makes that process a lot more pleasant, and it's perfectly reasonable.

It *should* go without saying, but for other guys... the most important thing is "lift the damn seat" before you go.

Because the good seats were all full and you booked late. It happens to us less often, but it does still happen.

Finding a balance between the two is reasonable.

One of the things I love about 31a/j on AA 777s: I can sit in the window and still be able to get up to the bathroom when I need it on a transpac

I think he meant over the far edge of the armrest.

12. If you need to exit the plane quickly for a tight connection, please try to be near the front, so you're not trying to force your way through the crowd from row 85.

Yes, this is a big one. Sadly, the people who get into that situation generally don't have much choice about where they sit.

13. If they haven't called your row, or elite status, please remain seated, and don't block the boarding door, for people who have been called to board. [/QUOTE]

Yes.

16. If you fly with Virgin America or another carrier where you can buy things from your seatback TV, put your favorite credit card (happens to be my AmEx), cellphone, and iPod in your pockets. Unless you have an empty middle seat, your coat and carryon should be ready to stow into the overhead by the time you cross the threshold of the plane. Took me 3 seconds to take my seat following this protocol. Find seat, stow stuff, close overhead, take seat, buckle seatbelt. Simple as that.

17. PLEASE wait until AFTER takeoff to abruptly recline your seatback, almost hitting the head of the person behind you. If you're going to recline your seatback, at least have the decency to ask or do it SLOWLY, so I can move my head/laptop out of the way. Oh, and reclining your seatback after landing and during taxiing to the gate is just silly. Short of your having a medical excuse, I won't have it.

18. If there's no more room in the overhead bins, at least have the courtesy to close it. And no, you are NOT entitled to smash my much more reasonably sized carryon (most of the time, a messenger bag and sweater/coat) with your 25" rollaboard that's too big to pass through any airplane aisle.

The implication is that making noise and kicking seats are acceptable when you're in the back of the plane with the Kettles. But they're not acceptable behavior anywhere. The people in the cheap seats deserve as much consideration as the road warriors.

Ditto. I'm a recliner, and unapologetic about it. But one should definitely recline *slowly* and not slam the thing back - doing otherwise can spill drinks, and it allows people time to move knees, laptops, etc out of the way.

Seatbacks should be up when the crew says so for landing and stay up until the next flight is in the air. They should ideally also be up during meals (CX usually makes a crew instruction to that effect) although I usually sleep through and skip breakfast on long flights and if nobody wakes me up to put
my seat up, it stays back.

The implication is taken out of context.

In fact, I couldn't agree with you more. This is certainly a code to which I would hold myself to no matter where on the plane I would be sitting. This, however, would be up front. This aside...

An elitist, I am not.

There, are however, certain people who should know better. In other words - no double standards. What irks you about other people's kids when you are on business travel, need to be things you especially keep after your own for when on leisure travel.

If you're on a CRJ/ERJ in one of the front seats, please wait until the flight attendant has passed with the cart to go to the lav. Follow the FA all the way down the aisle even though you can clearly see there is no culdesac at the end of the plane... And, when you're chased back to the front of the plane by the FA and cart, I'll be the one to get up and use the lav.
I really believe some folks are put on to this earth just to entertain me.