An ex-flight attendant shares his top pet peeves when it comes to passengers — and it includes swapping seats

01.03.2024 - 11:19 / insider.com / Bobby Laurie

Passenger disputes with flight attendants keep making headlines. In July, American offloaded a passenger after he got into an argument with a flight attendant. In August, United temporarily banned a woman from flying after she refused to follow a flight attendant's instruction to return to her seat.

So, what do you do to get on a flight attendant's good side? Avoid their pet peeves, of course.

While annoying a flight attendant is unlikely to get you kicked off a flight, getting on their good side might get you better service, travel expert Bobby Laurie told Business Insider in an email. Laurie, the cohost of "The Jet Set," a travel talk show that airs weekly on national television, worked as a flight attendant with US Airways and Virgin America.

"Kindness and politeness were always rewarded when I could. Whether it be a free drink, snack, or a better seat, the people who made an impression and were kind got those benefits first," Laurie said.

Here are three of Laurie's pet peeves as a flight attendant and how to avoid them.

Laurie said passengers should avoid placing bulky items like outerwear in the overhead compartments.

"This is especially true in the winter when everyone has a heavy jacket with them. Jackets shouldn't take up the space of a bag," Laurie said.

Laurie said passengers seated near the plane's bulk-head are not allowed to keep any of their bags or belongings at their feet.

Laurie said passengers should pay for their seats in advance rather than trying to move to other passengers' seats once on board — especially without telling the cabin crew.

"Don't 'steal' the seat and think the flight attendant won't notice. Don't ask if you can get a free upgrade," Laurie said.

Airlines often charge more to sit in the window and aisle seats toward the front of the plane, Laurie said. This means many airlines will refuse to allow passengers to switch seats, especially if the swapped seat comes with services such as better food or free drinks, Laurie added.

Laurie said passengers should not assume there are off-menu items. The reality, he said, is that the plane is likely to be stocked with limited food. On shorter flights, where there are only three or four flight attendants working on board, Laurie said passengers should select from whatever the crew offers in order to avoid wasting time.

"Every airline has some sort of a seatback menu for offerings on the plane," Laurie said. "Airlines in the US don't have strawberry juice, watermelon juice, or any other juice other than orange, apple, and cran-apple."

Laurie added that planes don't have a microwave for people to heat up food they brought on board with them, or a refrigerator to store their meals.

That said, Laurie noted that if passengers are