Most passengers are pleasant to fly with, but a few common habits can make a flight harder than it needs to be. Some may seem harmless, but they can hold up boarding, create safety risks, or make an already busy day more stressful for the crew.

Flight attendants deal with these situations regularly, and there are certain things they wish passengers would stop doing. Here are 16 habits that could make flying a little easier for everyone.

Reclining Your Seat During Meal Service

Reclining your seat on a long flight is understandable, but doing it during meal service can make things uncomfortable for the person behind you. Their tray table has less room, and flight attendants may struggle to move their carts through the aisle.

If possible, wait until meal service is finished before leaning your seat all the way back. It’s a small courtesy that gives everyone a little more room to eat.

Holding Up the Boarding Line

Boarding is already a busy process, so stopping in the aisle to rearrange your bag, remove your jacket, or search for something can hold up everyone behind you. Flight attendants need passengers to keep moving so people can get seated and the plane can leave on time.

Step into your row before sorting through your belongings. This gives other passengers room to board without waiting behind you.

Standing Up Before the Plane Reaches the Gate

Some passengers stand up and reach for their bags as soon as the plane touches down. The aircraft may still be moving, and an unexpected stop or turn can cause someone to lose their balance or get hit by falling luggage.

Standing early won’t get you off the plane any faster because everyone must wait until the aircraft reaches the gate and the doors open. Stay seated until the seatbelt sign is switched off.

Taking Up Too Much Overhead Bin Space

Overhead bins are shared by passengers from several rows, so filling one with all your belongings can leave others without room for their carry-ons. A suitcase, backpack, coat, and shopping bags can quickly take up space meant for multiple people.

Keep smaller personal items under the seat in front of you whenever possible. This leaves the overhead bins available for larger bags and helps boarding move along.

Ignoring the Safety Briefing

Frequent flyers may feel they’ve heard the safety instructions countless times, but flight attendants still expect passengers to pay attention. Aircraft can have different exit locations, layouts, and safety equipment, so the briefing may cover details you haven’t heard before.

Putting on headphones or continuing to chat while the crew gives instructions can also come across as disrespectful. Take a few minutes to listen, even if you’ve flown many times before.

Pressing the Call Button Repeatedly

The call button is there for passengers who need help, but pressing it repeatedly for small requests can interrupt the crew while they’re handling other duties. Flight attendants may be serving meals, helping someone who feels unwell, or responding to another passenger.

There’s nothing wrong with asking for assistance, but give the crew a little time to respond. If your request can wait until the next service round, there’s no need to keep pressing the button.

Walking Around Barefoot

Taking off your shoes during a long flight can make sitting more comfortable, but walking around the cabin barefoot is another matter. Airplane floors get plenty of foot traffic, and bathroom floors can be especially unpleasant.

Keep your shoes on when walking through the cabin or visiting the lavatory. If you want something more comfortable, bring a clean pair of slippers or grippy socks.

Leaving the Lavatory a Mess

Nobody expects passengers to clean the bathroom before leaving, but there’s no reason to leave it in a terrible state. Used paper towels, spills, an unflushed toilet, and overflowing trash make the small space unpleasant for the next person.

Take a moment to throw away your trash, flush, and check the area before heading back to your seat. The crew shouldn’t have to deal with a mess that could have been avoided.

Bringing Strong-Smelling Food Onboard

That tuna sandwich or heavily seasoned meal might smell fine to you, but strong food odors can bother people sitting nearby. In a closed cabin, the smell of fish, onions, and certain fast foods can travel farther than you might expect.

Choose snacks with milder smells if you’re bringing food from home or buying something at the airport. Your seatmates will appreciate not having to smell your lunch for the rest of the flight.

Treating Flight Attendants Rudely

Flight attendants serve meals and drinks, but their main responsibility is keeping passengers safe. They’re trained to handle emergencies, medical situations, evacuations, and other problems that can happen in the air.

Snapping your fingers, shouting across the cabin, or barking orders won’t speed up service. A polite request and a simple thank-you can make a busy flight much more pleasant.

Letting Children Run Around the Cabin

Flying with children can be challenging, and most crew members know that young kids won’t sit perfectly still for hours. The problem starts when children run through the aisles, kick other passengers’ seats, climb over people, or treat the cabin like a playground.

Hot drinks, service carts, luggage, and passengers move around the plane. Keep children close and remind them to respect the space of everyone sharing the flight.

Hanging Around the Galley

The galley is where flight attendants prepare meals, organize supplies, and store equipment during the flight. Passengers sometimes gather there to stretch, chat, or wait for the bathroom, which can get in the crew’s way.

Asking a quick question is fine, but staying there too long can make it harder for attendants to do their work. If you need to stretch your legs, take a short walk through the cabin instead.

Pressuring Others to Switch Seats

Asking another passenger to switch seats isn’t necessarily a problem, but expecting them to agree can put everyone in an uncomfortable position. Someone may have paid extra for their seat, chosen it for personal reasons, or simply prefer to stay where they are.

If another passenger says no, respect their answer instead of asking a flight attendant to pressure them. If sitting together matters to your group, booking seats next to each other ahead of time can save everyone the trouble.

Handing Over Trash at the Wrong Time

Flight attendants collect garbage during service rounds, but passengers sometimes hand them trash while they’re already carrying trays, drinks, or other equipment. A used napkin or empty cup may seem harmless, but the timing can make it difficult for the crew to take it.

If an attendant is busy, wait until the garbage collection comes through the aisle. Avoid handing over dirty diapers or used airsickness bags unless there’s no other reasonable option.

Pretending to Wear Your Seatbelt

Some passengers try to get around the seatbelt rule by placing a blanket or sweatshirt over their lap while leaving the actual belt unfastened. Flight attendants can usually spot this, and it defeats the purpose of the safety requirement.

Turbulence can happen without much warning, even when the ride feels smooth. Keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you’re seated, preferably low and snug across your hips.

Drinking Too Much Alcohol

A few drinks may be part of the vacation for some passengers, but alcohol can affect people differently at altitude. Having too much can lead to loud behavior, arguments, nausea, or situations that flight attendants have to step in and manage.

Crew members can refuse to serve more alcohol if they believe someone is intoxicated. Passengers are also generally not allowed to drink their own alcohol onboard, even if they bought it at the airport.