A Former Flight Attendant Shared The Plus Side Of Each Seat & How To Be A Model Passenger

From seat swaps to control of the window shade, airline passenger debates have really taken off online in recent months and it doesn't look like they'll be slowing down anytime soon.

TikTok is full of videos featuring different situations on airplanes and while many of us like to choose sides, an airline etiquette expert says we should all try to be courteous passengers when we're in the air.

Jacqueline Whitmore, who claims to be a former flight attendant, says not everyone remembers their manners when flying but there are ways to work around every situation.

First off, when it comes to the seats, Whitmore says everyone has a different advantage based on their selection.

So choose a seat depending on your wants or needs.

“The person who sits in the window seat has the view out the window, the person who sits in the aisle seat obviously has the luxury of getting in and out quickly and then the person in the middle seat gets the armrest,” she explained.

As for the window shade, it is essentially in the hands of the person in the window seat.

"None of the windows really belong to anybody, but I would say that it's probably going to be the person who if it's in front of the person versus behind them, I would say that person would probably be more apt to raise it or lower it."

However, Whitmore notes it's important to keep in mind that the window doesn't just affect the person sitting next to it but everyone in that row.

If the sun or light is bothering someone in your row, as a courtesy they can ask the person in the window seat to raise or lower the shade.

"I would just say if you and your seatmates can come to a happy compromise and lower halfway then everybody's getting what they want."

The etiquette expert also suggests always travelling with earbuds and eyeshades as those can help eliminate a lot of problems during travel.

Another airline issue Whitmore commonly sees is people rushing to get off the flight as soon as it lands and that’s not the right way to exit a plane.

“Number one you don't deplane until the safety light turns off, and you're instructed to stand up," she explained.

"The other thing is unless you have a very close connection, the etiquette dictates that you should always wait for the people in the rows before you to deplane before you get your bags and you deplane.”

Also when it comes to luggage, you should be storing that above and underneath your seat and not anywhere you see fit.

“So many people, especially the ones who board late, they will put their bags anywhere and what that does is it takes up somebody else's space," she shared.

"Technically your bin and up above you belong to the three people that are in your row and so keep that in mind versus just putting your suitcases anywhere.”

So next time you're on a plane, try to remember to be polite and compromise if a situation comes up.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.