You don’t need to have graduated from charm school to know how to behave on a lengthy airplane trip, but sometimes you might wish that certain fellow passengers had been instructed in the rules of social decorum. In order for all of us to get along in the limited space available on flights these days, it pays to have a good sense of airplane etiquette.

Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore recently wrote an article for Huffington Post that we found to be highly instructive in helping people deal with exceptionally annoying passengers.

For example, have you ever had the experience where the person sitting next to you takes over the armrest? Instead of silently fuming, Whitmore recommends that you gradually move just your elbow so it is close to your neighbor’s elbow. Note that a person sitting in the middle of three seats has the right to the two armrests.

If the person next to you wants to talk more than you do, there is no reason to keep up with chitchat for the entire flight. Tell your fellow flier that you need to take care of some pressing work or that you really need to rest. Pack eyeshades and earphones and wear them if the person persists in trying to start up a conversation after your polite demurral.

If another passenger has fallen asleep and you need to use the restroom, do not wait and hope he or she will wake up soon. Rather than trying to climb over the sleeper, simply tap him or her gently with a soft “excuse me” so you can get out as soon as possible.

When a child is behaving badly, you don’t want to try disciplining the youngster. If you cannot move to an unoccupied seat, ask a flight attendant to intervene on your behalf.

Here’s hoping that your next trip will be free of distractions and annoying behavior from rude passengers. If you do encounter some unpleasant behavior, a little application of these etiquette suggestions should enable you to get through your flight with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Posted in: corporate travel, travel tips