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12 Bad Behaviors Fellow Passengers Are Begging You To Stop Doing When Flying

If you want to be a nice traveler, then you need to avoid doing these 10 things.

By Moriah Chace

Edited by Jessica Gibson

Updated Dec. 8, 2025

Flying is a standard part of American life. As many as 88% of Americans have flown commercially at least once.

You might assume that everyone has good flight etiquette, but that's not always the case. Everyone can engage in proper conduct by following these simple rules.

Taking your shoes off on the airplane

You know that kind of traveler who rests their feet in the aisle of the plane. We have to take our shoes off at security, but that's why socks were invented. Otherwise, it's unsanitary for you.

Also, no one needs to see your feet. So keep those tucked away in your shoes where they belong.

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Talking loudly on the phone

We've all been in situations where we've been bothered by someone talking loudly on the phone. It gets irritating to anyone who's near them.

Be aware of your volume while speaking on the phone, whether in the airport or on the plane. Doing this lets you avoid situations where people may be angry with you.

Not showering before the flight

Personal hygiene can be hard some days, but it is crucial to take care of it before you travel. Everyone is on an airplane together, and the air is recirculated. Not showering before a flight will inconvenience your fellow travelers.

Also, make sure you wear deodorant. No one wants to smell bad on a flight, and no one wants to be able to smell you on a flight.

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Joining the Mile High Club

Everyone seems to want to be a part of The Mile High. But take a moment and think to yourself, is this considerate to the flight attendants and other flyers?

The airline attendants can open the lavatories from the outside and are required to perform safety checks in the bathrooms every 20 to 30 minutes to ensure there is no fire risk.

This means that you can be caught in a very uncomfortable position. So please do us all a favor, and don't try to join the Mile High Club next time you fly.

Pretending that your dog is a service dog

Service dogs are welcome on airlines. For your dog to become a service dog, however, you must have a disability that's defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Additionally, your dog needs to be able to act appropriately in intense situations and perform at least one task that mitigates your disability.

It's a crime to impersonate a service dog because you could endanger actual service dogs and other people surrounding you. Plus, it's just bad form.

As much as we love Fido, either fly him as a pet or keep him at home.

Approaching service dogs on flights

Service dogs are working dogs, and it's incredibly rude to approach them or try to touch or distract them.

Service dogs are medical assistants for their owners. Distracting a service dog can cause the dog to miss a critical alert or task, and it can compromise the handler's safety. Just don't try to approach them; let them do their job.

On a similar note, don't approach the handler to talk about their dog. Like you, they're just trying to get from one place to another. It can be exhausting to field questions about their dog, what it does, or how they got it.

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Not using headphones

We all get that you'd like to watch or listen to something while on a flight. It keeps you occupied and distracted while on the flight.

However, not using headphones or earbuds while listening to things/watching things disrupts other fliers.

When you don't use earbuds or headphones, everyone around you also has to listen to what you're watching or listening to. It's just not a considerate thing to do on a flight.

Clapping when the plane lands

We get it, you're not trying to be rude, and you want to congratulate the flight crew for a good flight and a safe landing.

However, what you considered a good landing could have felt very different to the pilots. Your applause could come across as sarcastic rather than sincere.

So do the pilots and crew a favor, and don't clap.

Rushing to get off the plane

You may want to get off the plane after a long flight, and you don't care how you have to do it. That train of thought is very understandable.

However, it's not good practice to follow through on these thoughts. Everyone else wants to get off the plane, too.

It's understandable to be antsy about it, but pushing and shoving people to get off the plane is just plain rude.

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Mistreating airline attendants

Airline attendants are just trying to do their job and ensure no incidents happen on the plane. That means they may not always say what you want them to say. They will enforce the seatbelt rule, even if it irritates you.

Not hearing or getting what you want is not an excuse to be rude to them. They're doing what they can to keep you safe.

You may not like what they do, but they're people too. Think about how what you say or do will affect them before you do it.

Bottom line

Flying commercially can be a fantastic experience if you and your fellow passengers follow proper guidelines and are mindful of others' experiences.

For example, whether you avoid pushing and shoving to get off the plane or stay seated until the fasten seatbelt signs turn off, you can make a difference in the entire vibe of the flight.

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