Modern Manners: Airplane etiquette – Who gets the armrest on a crowded plane?

By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

This week’s column is inspired by the fact that I’m taking a trip abroad and wanted to brush up on the dos and don’ts of airplane travel. By the time this article is printed, I’ll have already traveled to the UK and Spain via various airlines.

The history of flight aviation goes very far back, but the first documented successful flight of a powered and controlled airplane was conducted by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903, and two years later they built and flew their first fully practical airplane, according to history.com.

In the United States in 1918, Encyclopedia Britannica said the U.S. Post Office launched an airmail operation as a way to stimulate aircraft production and to train more pilots in the light of World War I. In 1919, one of the earliest airline organizations, Air Transport and Travel, Ltd., acquired several single-engine planes and modified them to include room for two passengers, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, and the first flight brought one passenger from London to Paris.

After this flight, the commercial airline business started to grow and now there are numerous airlines that can take you anywhere from to a few hours away to across the world.

When it comes down to it, airlines seek to maximize their profits, meaning cramped seating areas and storage areas for passengers. Flying isn’t the most comfortable way to travel, but it is efficient and better than having to make the multi-day trek across the ocean to get to other continents like boat travel does.

One rule that has been debated often — who gets the armrest? The aisle, middle or window seat? I found a lot of differing opinions, but I looked to the 18th edition of “Emily Post’s Etiquette” to give me some insight.

“Ideally, you and your seatmates’ elbows will alternately occupy the armrest without causing trouble,” said a passage in the book. “Middle seat occupants face double trouble over armrest use. In the spirit of fairness, polite passengers in the aisle and window seats will cede the center armrest to the one in the middle.”

Here are some rules of etiquette I’ve found for when you are traveling by airplane:

Check out the most up-to-date TSA regulations so you know what to expect when going through security. Have your boarding pass and ID handy in order to make it quickly through, read all of the signs while going through the line and once you get through, gather your things and go to another area out of the way of other passengers if you need to compose yourself.
Take note of your boarding zone, and don’t try to budge the line. Just breathe, everyone will get a chance to board the plane eventually.
Don’t hog overhead bin space. If you have a carry-on suitcase that will fit under the seat in front of you, you should put it there to maximize the storage space.
If you recline your seat, make sure to check behind you and possibly warn the passenger you will be reclining so they can adjust their belongings or hold any drinks. (In my opinion, try not to recline. Everyone already has minimal amounts of space, you don’t need to take some from another person for about one inch of recline.)
Time your bathroom trips well, you wouldn’t want to try to get by the drink cart and the flight attendants wouldn’t appreciate the disruption either. If you are in the window seat, try to get the attention of the aisle seat passenger so they can let you out.
If you are a parent, try to keep your kids occupied and from disturbing others. If you are being bothered by a child, it’s best to take it up with the flight attendant, who can alleviate the issue and cause less tension between yourself and a frustrated parent.
Be patient when getting off the plane. If you have a connecting flight and it is cutting it close, talk to a flight attendant before the plane touches down.

Overall I would say be aware of your surroundings and polite to your neighbors and airline staff. Being packed like sardines onto a plane and flying through the air isn’t the easiest for anyone, but if we all take others into consideration and try to be polite, it makes the trip go by much smoother.

If you have an etiquette question or would like to submit a topic for discussion, please email me at [email protected]. Until next time, mind your modern manners!