5 things pilots say you should never do on a plane

traveling

pretend David Landsell

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

How about this simple way to end the madness of non-stop flights? Everyone is like a pilot when traveling.

Well, most pilots anyway.

You’ve probably seen those men and women winging the empty seat in your class from time to time, and you’ve probably noticed how relaxed they usually are about something that worries the rest of us. make bad luck

Follow their lead – they know what to do.

A bunch of aviators and girls He spoke to HuffPost How the rest of us can fly smarter, not harder—and about behaviors these seasoned professionals would never condone as passengers on someone else’s plane.

Here are five rules of conduct to remember.

Again, don’t go to the toilet without shoes on

“It’s understandable that many passengers take off their shoes when they sit down to rest during a flight, but I always make sure to put them on when I go to the toilet,” says Stefan Dorr Arnsson, PLAY, an Icelandic airline pilot.

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

“I would never go to the bathroom with bare feet,” says Michelle Joris, a charter pilot and blogger at Dutch Pilot Girl. “How crazy is that?”

Never stop before reaching the plane gate – here’s why

“I would never stand in the aisle with my seatbelt on if the plane wasn’t at the gate,” Goris said. “While this seems logical, you’d be surprised how many times passengers board before the plane even arrives at the gate.”

It is illegal to unfasten your seatbelt while in flight and the seatbelt light is on. And dangerous too. Because the pilot may need to brake suddenly to avoid unexpected traffic.

“You can imagine that people are more likely to get infected while standing in the aisles,” Gorris noted.

Don’t worry about turbulence, the plane is designed for the worst

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

“Usually it’s not dangerous as long as you follow the instructions of the flight crew – stay seated and fasten your seatbelt when told to do so,” he said.

For beginners, turbulence can cause anxiety. Carter said you just have to keep it in perspective.

“I liken turbulence to a boat ride,” she said. “On a boat you can see the waves as you jump along them. Air is fluid like water, but you can’t see ‘waves’ in air. It’s perfectly safe and airplanes can handle it.”

Do not put both bags in the overhead compartment.

“Early in my career, on commercial flights, I would throw both bags in the overhead bin and not give it a second thought until one of the last passengers on the plane looked very upset when there was no room for his bag in the overhead bin,” Carter admitted.

These days, breaking the rules and carrying as much luggage as possible seems to be the norm – most passengers head straight for the nearest overhead bin in any room type. Don’t be, warn experienced pilots.

“From that day on, I always put that backpack under my front seat,” Carter said. “If everyone did this little thing, it would make traveling a lot easier for everyone.”

If prompted to open the window cover, do so

“I don’t close the blinds when taking off or landing,” says the pilot and blogger. Mindy Lindheim he told HuffPost.

“Not only does it provide the best view, it also gives passengers extra visibility!” He added: “Pilots can’t see much of the wing from the cockpit, so a passenger might be the first to notice something unusual 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’s unusual for us to experience this,” Lindheim emphasized.

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