Whether you're hoping to win a much coveted upgrade or simply make your plane journey a little more pleasant, making friends with the ...
Whether you're hoping to win a much coveted upgrade or simply make your plane journey a little more pleasant, making friends with the cabin crew can be the key.
But you're not likely to win any favours by committing cardinal sins of plane travel that are guaranteed to leave flight attendants disgruntled.
Former international flight attendant Belinda told FEMAIL the eight unwritten rules that she always wished people would adhere to on board.
Read on to find out the dos and don'ts for making air travel a more pleasant experience for everyone.
From sleeping in the aisles, to insisting on items not on the menu: A former international flight attendant has revealed the eight things they wish you would remember on board (stock image)
1. Don't complain about turbulence.
Belinda told FEMAIL that unfortunately passengers just have to wait this one out.
'As much as I wish I could summon the powers of the earth, I cannot predict nor change the inclement weather happening in the atmosphere around us,' she explained. 'We don't know how long turbulence will last.'
2. Be prepared, so you can get out quickly in an emergency
While you might be a frequent flyer and have seen it all before, the better prepared you are, the faster you can get out, in the case of an emergency.
'What you might not know is that flight attendants themselves have to repeatedly run through safety drills and scenarios to be ready in the unlikely event of emergency,' Belinda explained.
'The better prepared you are with this information at the forefront of your mind, the faster you can get out. Help us, help you.'
3. Don't complain if your food choice isn't available
'It might be annoying not getting your first choice, but remember, we're doing our best to make 300 people fed and happy,' Belinda said. 'When we run out of chicken, we run out of chicken
'While you might not get your first preference, if you chuck us a smile, we might even throw you something from our secret stash for being so understanding.'
4. Do bring an extra pen
Almost every country requires you to fill out an incoming passenger card or declaration. Next time you travel bring not one but two pens. The person next to you will love you for it
'We're not carrying around 300 spare pens, so consider sharing your pens with your neighbour, because sharing is caring,' Belinda said.
The better prepared you are, the faster you'll get out: When it comes to safety demonstrations, always be aware. Should the case of an emergency arise, you'll get out faster (stock image)
5. Don't sleep in the aisles
It might seem a more comfortable option, but the floor is by far the most unhygienic on board.
If you want to sleep, then recline your chair instead.
'Sleeping on the floor poses a safety risk too should we need to get you out in a hurry,' Belinda said.
6. Do have your boarding pass ready - at boarding
It might sound like it's just common sense, but surprisingly, passengers usually don't have their boarding pass ready when they get on the plane.
'We wouldn't want you ending up in Perth if you're bound for Paris,' Belinda said. 'We're making sure you are who you are and that you're in the right place.'
Bring not one but two pens: Almost every country requires you to fill out an incoming passenger card or declaration. Bring an extra, and the person next to you, will love you for it (stock image)
7. Do not hog the bathroom
'We all know funny things can happen when you're flying at 35,000 feet, and we also experience them too,' joked Belinda.
'However it's a shared space, so please try your best to be quick and efficient in the lavatory.'
8. Do keep blinds closed when the entire cabin is sleeping
'We like to create a calm and relaxing space as you hurtle across the earth. Letting extra light in will wake and disturb the masses, and that's a lot of morning breath to deal with.'
Instead, use your personal light above your head if you need it.
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