5 things you should never do on a plane, according to pilots

Travel

by David Landsel

Most of us could learn a thing or two about being better air travelers – as new evidence of bad behavior in increasingly unfriendly skies is now being fed daily, if not hourly, to our social media feeds and news sources.

How about this simple way to end the madness of non-stop flights – Everyone is more like a pilot when they fly.

Well, most pilots, anyway.

You've probably seen these men and women in wings grabbing the empty seat in your class from time to time, and you've probably noticed the relaxed approach they usually take toward what can be a source of concern for the rest of us. Making misfortune.

Follow their lead – they know what to do.

A bunch of flyguys and gals He spoke to HuffPost About how the rest of us can fly smarter, not harder — as well as behaviors these seasoned professionals would never dream of surrendering to, as passengers on someone else's plane.

Here, five do's and don'ts to commit to memory.

Never go to the bathroom without putting your shoes on again

“It is understandable that many passengers take off their shoes when sitting down to rest during the flight, but I always make sure to wear shoes when using the bathroom,” said Stefan Dór Arnarsson, a pilot for PLAY, an Icelandic airline.

This should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the inside of an airplane – floors can be soaking wet – God knows what.

“I would never go to the bathroom barefoot,” said Michelle Joris, a charter pilot and blogger at Dutch Pilot Girl. “How crazy is this?”

Never stop before the plane reaches the gate – here's why

“I would never stand in the aisle when the plane wasn't at the gate yet with the seatbelt on,” Goris said. “Although this seems logical, you'd be surprised how many times passengers stand up before the plane arrives at the gate.”

It is illegal to unbuckle a seatbelt while the plane is moving – and the seatbelt light is on -. And dangerous too. This is because the pilot may have to apply the brakes suddenly to yield to unexpected traffic.

“You can imagine that when people are standing in the aisle, they will have a high chance of getting infected,” Goris noted.

Never worry about turbulence, the plane is designed to handle the worst

“Turbulence is a nuisance for many, but the plane won't fall out of the sky,” said pilot Jenny Carter of private aviation company Wheels Up.

“It's usually not dangerous at all as long as you follow the flight crew's instructions – stay seated and wear your seat belt when told to do so,” she said.

For beginners, turbulence can be a source of anxiety. Carter suggested that you just have to think about it in relative terms.

“I liken turbulence to a boat ride,” she said. “In a boat you can see the waves as you jump along them. The air is fluid just like water, but in the air you can’t see the ‘waves’. It is completely safe and the plane can handle it.”

Do not put both bags in the overhead bin.

“Early in my career, on commercial flights, I threw both bags in the overhead bin and didn't think about it any further, until one of the last passengers on the plane looked very depressed when there was no room for his bag in the overhead bin,” Carter admitted.

Nowadays, breaking the rules and carrying as much of your luggage as possible seems to be the norm – with most passengers heading straight to the nearest overhead bin with any type of room. Don't be like that, experienced pilots warn.

“Since that day, I've always kept this backpack under the seat in front of me,” Carter said. “If everyone did this little thing, it would make travel so much easier for everyone.”

When asked to open the window covering, do so

“I never keep the window shade closed when taking off or landing,” pilot and blogger Mindy Lindheim He told HuffPost.

“Not only does it provide the best views to enjoy, but it also allows passengers to have an extra set of eyes!” She added: “Pilots can't see much of the wings from the cockpit, so a passenger can be the first to see something abnormal and notify the cabin crew.” .

This doesn't mean you have to spend the entire trip waiting for disaster to strike.

“We pilots prepare for the worst, but it is unusual for us to encounter it,” Lindheim emphasized.

“Driving to the airport is much more dangerous than flying.”