Keenan suggests watching out for the flight attendants as they move through the aisles, especially when they’re wheeling past trolleys filled with food and drink. Keeping elbows, knees and feet neatly tucked in the seating area is key to staying polite.
In more of a tip than a rule, he proposes that pre-selecting a seat based on the type of flyer you are can make a flight more comfortable for everyone involved. He points to a few unspoken rules that he says are key to gelling with your neighbours on a flight, such as knowing which armrest you can claim and only falling asleep in the right seat.
“If you’re in the aisle seat you need to be prepared to stand up multiple times during the flight ... you truly should not be a sleeper.”
Similarly, he says bringing headphones is a must for every traveller, as there’s no guarantee the plane will be a quiet place.
He attempts to put one of the most divisive points of plane etiquette to rest too. He says that slowly reclining your seat is OK, provided you’ve checked to see that the passenger behind you is not leaning forward or using the attached tray table. Keenan also shares unpleasant experiences of being hit in the head by the seats of other travellers when they’ve reclined too eagerly.
“Do you know how many times I’ve been smashed in the head by somebody who just aggressively leans back?”
Odorous food is another big no, as is clapping for landing and not paying attention when opening overhead bins.
Some commenters expressed agreement. One said, “This should be in the pre-flight announcement.”
Another suggested, “I would quite literally exclusively fly with an airline that enacts all of these.”
However, others laughed off Keenan’s suggestions.
“Nope … definitely taking my shoes off! And I’m not turning back to check … I will recline gently though.”
“If it is a long flight shoes are allowed to come off (8+ hours).”
One enthusiastic flyer said, “I love when people clap.”
With so many social media users sharing their experiences and opinions on the informal rules of travel etiquette, the debates over these behaviours have continued to flood TikTok comment sections. Users have also shared tricks for getting in-flight upgrades, ranted about whether asking to swap seats is acceptable and tips from the perspective of people who work on planes.
Prominent airlines and travel companies have also hopped on the app, engaging with a passionate travel community that sometimes enjoys the spectacles of globe-trotting, and sometimes enjoys debating acceptable behaviour in comment sections.
It’s clear that TikTok has become a space for expressing some of the shared irritations, anxieties and desires central to travel – even if there’s often more debate than consensus.
