Don't take off your socks if you're taking off your shoes!" 7 Things You Shouldn’t Do on a Plane

▲The end of the year is peak season for international travel, but people often forget about "etiquette" when there are more passengers around. (Illustration / Photo by Peng Huaiyu)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The end of the year is peak season for international travel, with Christmas, New Year’s, and Lunar New Year… all coming one after another. As people fly more frequently, they often forget about "etiquette" when there are more passengers around.Foreign mediahave compiled a list of the 7 most common mistakes travelers make on planes—see if you’ve accidentally overlooked any.

1. Don’t loiter near the boarding gate
Wait until the ground crew calls for boarding before lining up. You might think queuing up early will get you on the plane sooner and give you a better chance to stow your carry-on, but this behavior only creates more chaos and puts pressure on staff and other passengers.

▲You might think queuing up early will get you on the plane sooner and give you a better chance to stow your carry-on, but this behavior only creates more chaos. (Illustration / Photo by Cai Wenjun)

2. Don’t hog one armrest
According to a British Airways survey, even if you’re sitting in the middle seat, it’s rude to take up both armrests. Travel expert Brittany Jones-Cooper also says you should only use one.

3. If you take off your shoes, don’t take off your socks
If you absolutely must remove your shoes, please keep your socks on. Although 59% of British Airways passengers say they don’t mind barefoot passengers, etiquette expert Lizzie Post from the Emily Post Institute disagrees. She told The Washington Post that out of respect for other passengers, it’s best to keep your shoes on, or at least your socks.

4. If you’re sitting on the inside and need to get out, wake the person next to you first
Many people have had this experience: you’re sitting in the middle or window seat and need to use the restroom, but the aisle passenger is fast asleep. What should you do? Etiquette expert Lizzie Post suggests gently waking them up. Aisle passengers also have a responsibility to make it easier for those on the inside to get out.

5. Keep your voice down
If you want to chat with the passenger next to you, remember to keep your voice low. And if you want to end the conversation, do so politely—let them know you’re going to read or listen to music.

6. Don’t stand up suddenly
According to surveys, restless passengers can be very annoying. Brittany Jones-Cooper says about 80% of passengers are okay with window-seat passengers climbing over them to get out. If you tend to feel restless on planes and need to stretch, consider choosing an aisle seat.

▲Before reclining your seat, check behind you—the passenger back there might be eating on their tray table. (Illustration / Photo by Peng Huaiyu)

7. Check behind you before reclining your seat
According to NBC News travel columnist James Wysong, before reclining your seat, check behind you—the passenger back there might be eating on their tray table. Even if they’re not using the table, it’s polite to give a heads-up before leaning back.