Going on holiday soon? Flight attendants reveal what you should avoid doing at all costs when flying

A source of stress for some, fascination for others, air travel can be more or less enjoyable, depending on the neighbours we've been assigned. Of course, it's possible to travel in the company of fabulous people, who will entertain you with wonderful anecdotes... But the flight can turn into hell if one or more passengers fail to observe elementary universal rules.

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Sometimes, it's the flight attendants who bear the brunt of the most shocking rudeness from passengers. Here are a few things you should definitely avoid when you're 40,000 feet above the ocean.

Avoid tugging on a flight attendant's sleeve

Some gestures are well-intentioned, but can be misinterpreted by flight attendants. Reader's Digest spoke to a number of stewards and stewardesses about the do's and don'ts of flying.

For Ethan S., there's one gesture that should be banned at all costs: tugging at a flight attendant's sleeve. 'We're not dogs,' says the steward. Admittedly, this gesture, intended to attract the person's attention is silent, but it's quite intrusive and rather impolite. The solution? Press the call button, which activates a small LED above your head. Much more practical.

Reorganizing other people's stuff

Another gesture that infuriates staff is the reorganization of hold baggage. In this case, it's other people's luggage. This time, it's Erica L. who speaks up:

I'm rather small, so it often happens that other passengers offer to help me lift bags or rearrange the compartments above the seats.

Once again, the intention is good... Except that, under the pretext of making room, some passengers take the liberty of moving other people's belongings.

Not only does this make other passengers angry, it can also make it almost impossible for passengers and crew to find their belongings when disembarking.

Instead, she recommends putting your things down, and settling into your seat so as not to clutter up the aisle. The cabin crew are well-trained and will take care of everything, so there's no need to worry about them.

thumbnail — You shouldn't clutter up the aisle Suhyeon Choi / Unsplash

Help yourself to the food cart

Finally, there's one thing you absolutely mustn't do when you're on an airplane: never help yourself when the tray cart reaches your seat. Tania, another flight attendant, testifies:

Sometimes people think I've 'forgotten' to take their order and they go looking in the basket. Or they see what they want and think it's quicker to grab it themselves.

Yes, but no. Just because a tempting can of tomato juice is just a few centimetres away from you, doesn't mean you're entitled to take it. The distribution of drinks and meals on a plane is subject to fairly complex logistics, and if you disrupt the staff's process, it can have various negative effects.