Holiday travel can be a lot of things: exciting, busy, stressful. On the note of the latter, figuring out what to buy your sister’s new husband is hard enough, let alone navigating the airport when everybody is heading home, you know?
One thing you can make easier is travel, so flight attendants tell Parade what they urge you to avoid when flying this time of year—including the #1 worst thing for travelers to do during the holidays.
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The #1 Thing a Flight Attendant Begs Travelers To Never Do During the Holiday Season
A flight attendant begs travelers to never block passageways, be it the aisle or gate.
“Trust us: Everyone will get on board!” says Anne-Marie Miller, a flight attendant with Air New Zealand. “Crowding only slows things down and makes it harder for those whose boarding groups are called to get through.”
Once travelers are on the plane, she urges them to not block the aisle after finding their seat. (If you’ve flown before, you can probably recall how annoying it is when someone does this.)
“If they need to grab something from the overhead bin or use the restroom, it’s best to wait until everyone is boarded to keep the process smooth and avoid congestion,” Miller explains. “Of course, if it’s truly an emergency, they can flag a flight attendant to help handle the situation—without disrupting the flow.”
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5 Other ‘Don’ts’ When Traveling, According to Flight Attendants
1. Pack holiday items that the airline doesn’t allow
Another major mistake travelers make is packing items that can’t be taken on the plane, according to Carrie Bradley, a former flight attendant and founder of Flying With a Baby. “Be aware of what you can and can’t pack,” she says.
For example, she advises not packing confetti cannons or wrapped gifts, explaining, “The cannons will be confiscated, and the gifts could be opened.”
Better options include buying those things at your destination, have them shipped to your destination, or not have them at all. Your family will surely understand!
On the other hand, some travel essentials include reusable water bottles, phone chargers, SPF and comfy shoes. Travel-sized beauty products are also your best friend, given security restrictions on liquids you can have in your carry-on.
2. Book the last flight
Another item on the “don’t” list is scheduling the last flight of the day. “If your flight is cancelled, a late flight means your options are severely limited, and you may not reach your destination in time,” Bradley explains. “I’ve had my flight cancelled before and been left to find a last-minute hotel.”
A safer bet is getting a flight in the morning or middle of the day. After all, the second-to-last flight probably isn’t a great idea, either.
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3. Get intoxicated
It’s in your best interest to avoid getting intoxicated before getting on a flight or while on a flight, says Paula S. Adams, former flight attendant with UAE’s top airlines and owner of an online aviation business center. “Drinking before you get on your flight might make you think it will calm down the nerves and maybe help you sleep better, but it can actually make things harder for you and for us, the flight attendants,” she warns.
But why? She says intoxicated passengers might be removed from a flight before take off, and they might even be banned or get arrested. There’s also the usual risks, like feeling nauseous, she explains, and the fact that people’s bodies respond differently to alcohol and flying. So save your spiked eggnog for when you’re home!
4. Bring just any food on the plane
It’s okay to bring food onboard, Miller says, but be mindful about what it is since you’re in such close proximity to other people.
“Safe options include nothing with a strong scent, like a bag of pretzels, chips or candy,” she shares.
Passengers should avoid snacks with peanut butter, she adds—like chocolate peanut butter cups and peanut butter crackers—as “this common allergen can pose serious risks to others” and “it’s best to err on the side of caution.”
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5. Not consider others when you’re engaging with entertainment
Back to Miller’s earlier point: In an airplane, you’re around a bunch of people in a fairly tight space—and perhaps for a while. Consider who you’re around and be considerate if you want to have the smoothest, happiest flying experience.
“Headphones are a must,” Miller says, regarding both the inflight entertainment system and passengers’ phones.
“Also, while passengers are free to enjoy the variety of movies offered onboard, they need to be mindful of who’s nearby,” she adds. “If there are monitors within view of their screen, they should avoid playing anything overly inappropriate out of courtesy.”
All these “don’ts” may make flying seem a hassle, when in reality, it can be a cool experience. While keeping these reminders top of mind, try to lean into the exciting parts of this too, like seeing tiny cars below and hugging family members once you’re home.
Next up:
Related: A Former Flight Attendant Is Begging Travelers To Do This One Thing During the Holidays
Sources
- Anne-Marie Miller, flight attendant
- Carrie Bradley, former flight attendant and founder of Flying With a Baby
- Paula S. Adams, former flight attendant and owner of an online aviation business center
