From taking off your shoes to asking for a coffee. There are downsides of certain habits that seem normal on board, but that we should surely avoid. Here are ten to avoid when you’re boarding for your next business trip.
1. Not checking the baggage policy
This one comes before boarding the plane. Many times, passengers carry more than the allowed luggage. Thus, they have to leave some of their things at the airport. Sometimes, this means leaving your expensive clothes or things at the airport or miss your flight.
You should plan in advance about the things to take with you. Also, check the luggage policy of the airline you are travelling with. For example, if you are travelling with American Airlines, searching for American Airlines baggage policy would get you the required details.
Furthermore, for your air booking with AA, you can consider Faremart which is a reliable platform for seeking Air Travel Services. It has access to nearly 450 Airlines operating around the globe and also provides 24/7 assistance and support on travel queries.
Also read, Top Ten Tips to Make the Most of Your Trips
2. Not listening to safety instructions
It occurs from time to time. Last time it occurred a couple of months ago when an Air New Zealand flight had to return to the terminal after a couple on board refused to listen to the security video. Putting on the headphones and taking out the book just during the two minutes of the recording lasts, which is not only an educational but a security problem.
However tedious and familiar they may be, these indications -not to smoke in the toilets, the right position in case of emergencies, etc.- are “lessons learned from past air accidents”, according to the experts of Security Today , one of the references of the sector.
3. Taking off shoes
We are talking about air quality and security. Of the two things and, of course, also hygiene. Depending on the feet and the smell they give off, travelling many hours with a barefoot traveller can be very unpleasant. More than one offender, by the way, has ended up crushed in social networks.
In any case, shoes are essential in case of emergency, and there is no doubt about a final issue: the planes, not to mention their toilets, are not clean. Let’s face it: that liquid on the bathroom floor is almost never water.
4. Ordering a Coca-Cola Light
What’s wrong with Coca-Cola Light? It turns out that this is the most annoying drink you can ask for on an aeroplane. Ask a flight attendant the next time you take a plane. It’s a matter of time (and patience).
At 10,000 meters, it takes longer to serve a Coca-Cola Light than any other drink. And yes, there are many other carbonated soft drinks, but the bubbles of the low-calorie version of Coca Cola have amassed the worst reputation. So you know, if you do not want to exasperate the crew, choose the wine.
5. Not stretching your legs
It is always said that sitting in the same position for hours is not good for your health. It affects our circulation, creating swelling in legs and ankles. Of course, if we all get up at the same time, we would cause a traffic jam in the cabin. Simple rotations and push-ups of the legs can work.
Another of the big problems of the plane is the dryness of the air. The solution against dehydration, of course, is drinking a lot of water. But another frequent error is not to take it with us and to depend on the air hostesses to bring it to you.
6. Becoming a fashion victim
Instagram has made travel a fashion show, but we must bear in mind that, in a single flight, you can go through the white cold to fiery hot conditions. To save fuel, many airlines do not turn on the air conditioning until the passengers aboard the plane. There we experience heat.
Then, in the middle of the flight, when we are hardly moving, it becomes too cold. How to fight it? Wearing several layers of clothes might help. The key is to find useful clothes, without pretension, what fashion experts call Normcore.
7. Ordering a coffee
Both alcoholic beverages and tea and coffee are diuretic, thus favouring dehydration. There is a good reason to ask for water or fruit juice instead.
In addition, it should be noted that the water to make tea and coffee come from the tap of the plane; it is not mineral water. And that tap, quite likely, is full of bacteria. Especially if the country from which it comes is not known precisely for the quality of its water. A 2015 study entitled ‘Bacteria that travels’ and published in the International Journal of Environmental Research identified “37 types of bacteria that can be found in water on board an aeroplane.” Although it is true that these microorganisms did not fall into the category of “dangerous or infectious”. Now, you will see that many auxiliaries are kept away from the coffee jug.
8. Getting rid of airplane mode ahead of time
No, the plane is not going to fall because you had to check your last WhatsApp message. However, the chances are that you are not the only passenger who, poor clueless, has forgotten to turn off the phone during the flight. This is when the cellular signal can interfere with the air control frequencies and becomes very annoying during take-off and landing.
9. Choosing the aisle seat
This seat has the clear advantage that you can get up whenever you want without disturbing anyone. But there is a compelling reason to avoid it. A study by Emory University (Atlanta) published last year in the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America concluded that sitting at a window reduces the chances of the passenger getting sick during the flight. The reason is that sitting inside the row avoid contact with other travellers and, therefore, the likelihood of catching a virus.
10. Calling the stewardess without rhyme or reason
It has happened to all of us. You look for the light button, but you end up pressing the button that calls the flight attendant. An error can be committed by anyone. Now, there is someone who likes to press the button and requires the attention of the crew constantly: a pillow, a glass of water, something is needed until the flight lasts.
It is common sense: they are for all the passangers, not to serve travellers who want 24-hour attention.