The Unspoken Airplane Etiquette That People Keep Breaking (And What To Do About It)

As the moment finally arrives to head to the airport for that long-awaited trip you booked months ago, a rush of excitement kicks in. Those fluttering butterflies in your stomach are a sure sign that you're just hours away from landing in a brand new destination, ready for adventure. But that excitement can quickly shift to dread the moment you settle into your airplane seat. Sometimes, all it takes is a few etiquette missteps from your seatmates to turn your flight from enjoyable to unbearable, like someone getting into your personal space mid-flight.

Flying comes with many unspoken airplane etiquette rules you might not be aware of, like sticking to your own seat, not being overly chatty to your neighbor, and especially avoiding bringing that tuna fish sandwich on board as a snack. Flying in a confined space, such as an airplane, for hours on end, may make tensions flare up much more easily. You are sharing a small space with multiple types of personalities, some of whom you may not always jive with.

A recent viral TikTok video has received nearly nine million views, showing a moment during a flight when an older gentleman seated in the middle seat leaned over to take a photo out of the window, to which the creator's seat was assigned. The clip highlights a breach of personal space and has prompted conversations in the comment section around appropriate behavior and boundaries while flying.

While there are things that flight attendants notice about you when you board a plane, knowing if you are going to invade another passenger's personal space is not one of them. TikTok users did not hesitate to weigh in with their reactions and comments after watching the original video. One user, @sara_katherine, mentions, "The way I would have closed the shade so fast."  It might rank as one of the worst things you can do on an airplane, since the invasion of space was clearly uncomfortable from the video footage.

In a r/unitedairlines Reddit thread, a Redditor shared their experience when a fellow passenger got into their personal space numerous times on a flight. The man "kept extending his right arm and feet into my space, which was incredibly frustrating." Even after explaining the fact that they were uncomfortable, the man continued to encroach into the Redditor's personal space and spread his legs with no care. One commenter shared, "Multi-million mile flyer. More than once I have had to press my leg into a manspreader. They get the message quickly. You have to look out for yourself."

In a more recent r/PetPeeves Reddit thread, one user was prepared to have their space compromised when a tall man sat beside them on the plane. When the man did not encroach on the poster's space, they came to a personal conclusion "that all the shorter people who had their arms and/or legs spread out past their seats were just being inconsiderate." It seems the invasion of personal space etiquette blunders aboard airplanes is an ongoing issue.

When you find yourself in an awkward situation with a fellow passenger, how should you respond? Escalating the moment or causing a scene can often make things more uncomfortable for everyone involved. A better approach is to handle it with patience and kindness. After all, we rarely know what someone else might be dealing with during their journey. One of the easiest ways to avoid situations like this is to start a friendly conversation with your seatmate before takeoff. A simple introduction and some light small talk can go a long way toward creating a more pleasant and comfortable flight for both of you.

Even if you paid for the window seat, if you notice the person in the middle seat trying to look out, consider offering to take a photo for them with their phone, especially if you'd prefer they not lean into your space. If someone is encroaching on your personal area without permission, it's okay to politely ask them to stop. If the issue continues, don't hesitate to involve a flight attendant as a last resort, since they're trained to handle these kinds of passenger situations.