The reality of air travel in the 21st century is that flying economy is unpleasant.
Airlines are cutting service and packing planes to improve razor-thin profit margins, while flights aren't getting any shorter. And customers are feeling the pain: A United Airlines flight was recently forced to divert after two passengers got in a fight over a gadget called the Knee Defender that stopped one from reclining her seat.
If you don't have the cash or the points to secure an upgrade, there are ways to make flying more pleasant, but they depend on everyone's cooperation.
We've put together a list of 13 basic rules of etiquette, based on our own flying experiences and some expert opinions. Follow them, and your next flight might just be bearable — as long as everyone else follows them, too.
Alex Davies wrote an earlier version of this story.
#1 Remember how security works.
This is all about thinking a few steps ahead, so you get through the screening process as quickly as possible.
Before you get to the X-ray machine, take everything out of your pockets. Put it all in your bag, or the pocket of a coat that you'll put through the machine.
When your belongings come out, collect them quickly and move to a spot where you’re not blocking anyone. Then you can put your shoes and belt on.
#2 Don't hog the overhead bin.
In the era of checked-bag fees, carry-on space is at a premium. If you have two carry-on bags, keep the smaller one at your feet.
And, as the flight attendants will most likely remind you, don't take up someone else's space by putting your bag in the bin horizontally.
#3 Be kind to the flight attendants.
Flight attendants didn't create the rules about stowing tray tables, wearing seat belts, and restoring seatbacks before landing. Giving them a hard time is obnoxious and can delay your takeoff.
At least the FAA ended its longstanding ban on the use of certain electronic devices during takeoff and landing late last year.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider