Opinion

These are the 9 in-flight habits that infuriate me the most

There's no excuse to kick the seat in front of you or hog the armrest.

Opinion

Picture by Getty Images

Updated August 26 2025 - 7:09am, first published 6:19am

I was just drifting into a blissful siesta when the passenger behind me kicked my seat so hard I jolted awake - and stayed that way for the rest of the Melbourne to Sydney flight.

On another trip, the person behind me stuffed so many items into the seat pocket - phone, tablet, headphones, you name it - that every time they reached for one, it felt like a punch to my lower back.

And then there are the travellers who use my seat as leverage to pull themselves upright, oblivious to the fact they're shaking the person in front (me!) like a rag doll.

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I'm not alone. A colleague recently told me she was woken mid-flight to the US when the passenger behind her started a vigorous game of touchscreen chess. The tapping was so relentless, it could have been mistaken for woodpecker torture.

There are some simple in-flight rules that should be universal. Chief among them: don't kick, shake, poke or pound the seat in front of you. Here are the other eight commandments of flying politely.

1. Follow the seat protocol: Airline seats are designed to be reclined, so there's no reason why you shouldn't recline them or feel guilty about it. But if you don't want the person behind you to annoy you, make sure you follow the protocol, too. Don't recline your seat when the meal service is on. In fact, it's always a good idea to let the person behind you know that you're about to recline the seat. It's a great way to break the ice, be polite and what goes around comes back - so you may just end up with a fellow passenger who won't kick your seat.

2. Don't hog the armrest: The armrest is to be shared. In fact, if you're sitting on the aisle or window seat in a row of three, it's common courtesy to leave the armrest for the person in the middle seat.

3. Don't over-spread: Your carry-on bag, blanket, pillow, shoes, legs, arms, skirt and anything else related to you must stay in your designated area only, without gradually trickling into another person's personal space - or into the aisle and blocking others. And there's absolutely no reason to put your feet on the armrest between the seats in front of you. That's just feral.

4. Use your headphones: No one's interested in listening to your music or to the sound of the crime-thriller you're watching on your personal device, so make sure you use your headphones or earphones. And while many airlines now offer fast (and occasionally free) in-flight Wi-Fi, most forbid voice calls for a good reason, so it's best to stick to texts and emails.

5. Mind your feet: There's no place for bare feet anywhere in public, let alone in a closed, confined and crowded setting like an economy class cabin. Even if you think your feet smell like roses, don't subject other travellers to them. If you must take your shoes off, keep the socks on - as long as they're not smelly. I always carry a pair of disposable slippers with me (who wants to use an airline bathroom wearing their socks?). And if I don't, I keep my shoes on.

6. Keep your chatter down: It's great that you have found a fellow passenger with whom you can connect. But people around you may not be interested in all the things you're discussing, so keep your volume down.

7. Take a shower: Not just after a long flight, but before one, too. Particularly if you have a strong body odour. Don't try to cut corners and mask it with a deodorant or perfume. That never works. In fact, the mix of BO and deo is even worse.

8. Don't spare the mask: It's 2025, not 2019. Even if you have the smallest sniffles, make sure to pull out the mask and put it to good use. No one wants your germs.

And that's not all. The list goes on ... don't crowd the aisle; don't bring your smelly food on the flight; don't be rude to the flight attendants; don't start rushing before the seatbelt sign is off; and - once you're off the plane - there's no need to crowd around the baggage carousel.

Have we missed anything? Email editor@exploretravel.com.au

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.