Every airline has a code of conduct that passengers are required to follow, but there are also plenty of unwritten guidelines you should adhere to while on a plane.
No one knows more about how guests should behave while flying than the men and women who serve as flight attendants. We recommend staying on their good sides while you’re airborne.
Barbara “Barbie Bac” Bacilieri is an Argentine flight attendant and popular influencer who often shares her travel expertise online and in interviews with various outlets.
In one recent conversation, Bacilieri went through a number of unspoken rules for travelers to keep in mind, ranging from plane attire to what not to eat and drink and even what to avoid when boarding a plane.
Of all the unofficial laws of flying, Bacilieri says one stands above the rest: no wisecracks.
Your sense of humor can be a detriment, she warns.
The plane is not a comedy club
You may be tempted to try out some material on the flight crew, but don’t do it, Bacilieri warns.
“When the ‘Society of the Snow’ movie came out, a passenger told me, ‘If anything happens, I give you my consent to eat me.’ I was like ‘What?!’” Bacilieri told What’s The Jam, via the New York Post.
Especially galling, Bacilieri adds, is when a passenger adds a twist of misogyny to the joke, saying things like “Who’s flying? If it’s a woman, let me know, I’m getting off.”
More to keep in mind
While leaving the jokes at home is Bacilieri’s golden rule, there are more things she and other flight attendants want you to know.
For instance, Bacilieri suggests you avoid plane tap water and the blankets provided to passengers.
“Even though the blankets are washed before each flight, they’ve been used by so many passengers that you never know what might be in there,” she explains.
Flight attendant Rich Henderson, who co-authors the Two Guys on a Plane blog, recently told USA TODAY that removing your footwear during a flight is a major no-no.
“I think it’s, like any other public space, you should have your shoes on. It’s basically a form of public transportation. You wouldn’t get on a subway without your shoes on,” Henderson said. “People go to work 8 hours a day and leave their shoes on, I don’t understand why you’d want to take your shoes off on a flight.”
The Takeout also published a piece last month about the worst snacks to bring on a plane, with a flight attendant mentioning tuna or other kinds of fish, chicken wings and kimchi, among other items.
