Flying is more popular than ever. It used to be just the lucky few who took to the skies. A clique known as ‘the jetset’ were the only ones fortunate enough to be able to discover faraway lands.

In the days when Frank Sinatra crooned Come Fly with Me, only the very wealthy could afford to travel on such exotic paths as Qantas’ now-defunct Fiesta Route to London via Tahiti, Mexico City and Bermuda. But now, with more competition in the skies, and so many improvements in manufacturing that have made technology cheaper, air travel is much more affordable.

With more of us flying, plane etiquette has become all the more important. There are unspoken rules once you’ve stowed your carry-on luggage and put on your seatbelt. Get the lowdown with these helpful hints and you’ll avoid sticky situations.

Kicking seats
Flying is stressful enough without the little tacker behind you pounding on the back of your seat. The best way to address the problem it is to politely ask their mother, father or guardian: ‘Do you mind asking him to stop kicking my seat? I’d love to have a sleep.’ If the child doesn’t stop after your initial plea, then ask the adult if they’d be willing to swap seats with the child.

Hogging the armrest
Ideally, you and your seatmate should take turns using the armrest, and you shouldn’t ‘spill over’ into one another’s space. If you think the armrest is being hogged and you feel cramped, stake your claim to it while your seatmate is away from their seat and hold your position.

Moving around
If you have a weak bladder or plan to roam the aisles every hour for some exercise, make sure you get an aisle seat. There’s nothing more annoying than having to wake from a snooze half a dozen times to let your window-seat neighbour through. When walking through the cabin, don’t hold the back of the seat in front of you – it can jar the person sitting there. Do what the flight attendants do – steady yourself on the luggage compartments above your head, not the seat backs.

Reclining gracefully
Don’t recline your seat back as soon as you board. Once it’s OK to recline, do so slowly
as the person behind you may be leaning forward trying to retrieve something from their bag, or may have a drink on their tray. If you prefer more space, do your best when booking to choose an aisle or exit row seat for extra wriggle room.

Getting off
You don’t need to stand up straight away after landing. It takes ground staff a few minutes to align the aerobridge or stairway. Wait until the aisle thins out a bit before retrieving your overhead luggage, especially if you have more than one piece.

What they don’t tell you!
One airline insider tells us that some airlines rarely wash the blankets provided to passengers unless there are visible stains on them. So it may pay to take your own blanket or pashmina with you on the flight.

BEFORE YOU FLY

Know the best seats
Find out the exact dimensions of every seat on all commercial planes on such websites
as www.seatexpert.com, www.seatguru.com and www.seatplans.com. They even map out which seats you should always avoid.

Get the inside scoop
New online watchdog website InsideTrip has created the travel industry’s first quality score for every airline itinerary. It rates each flight by price, speed and comfort. Simply type in where you’re flying from and to and your dates and they’ll rate what’s available. Visit www.insidetrip.com.

Know the best meals
Websites such as www.airguideonline.com review airline meals. Photos and reviews of meals are available at www.airlinemeals.net. Always inform the airline of any special dietary requirements when you book your ticket.

Get more great travel advice here