Nine Tips for Passenger-Friendly Customer Service at 30,000 ft.

From bussing your own trays at McDonalds to pumping your own gas at the service station to checking out your groceries in the self-serve line at Kroger’s, customer service is pretty much left to the customer. While flight attendants still offer a measure of service, the success of an airline flight relies heavily on how customer friendly the customers are to each other. Here are some tips on how to make your next flight a pleasant one for you and your fellow passengers:

1. Eat in the terminal. When you are packed into your middle seat in coach, elbow to elbow and knee to knee, no one wants to smell a pastrami and sauerkraut sandwich, or watch someone eat a bowl of chili or a Caesar salad. The odor lingers on.
2. Stow it quickly. Only bring on bags that meet requirements, and be quick. And if you are seated at the back of the plane, take your bags with you. The compartments at the front are for those with front seats.
3. Keep your kids in check. You may think little Susie is adorable running up and down the aisles or singing her cute little song (over and over) but not everyone else will. Bring things along that will occupy the children. Don’t let them kick the back of the seat in front of them, throw things, or stare for hours at the person seated behind them. Everyone is entitled to their own comfort.
4. Get ready to deplane. With tight connections, do as much repacking and collecting of your belongings once you have landed and are taxiing to the gate. Shut down your laptop, turn off the DVD player, and be ready to get up and move once your plane is parked at the gate. There is nothing more irritating than having to wait for someone who just woke up and takes what seems to be an eternity to gather themselves together, find their luggage and start moving down the aisle.
5. Let others go first. If you are at your final destination, hang back and let those that have connecting flights deplane first. Even a few minutes make a difference to someone with a tight connection. The few extra minutes waiting in the plane will be a few less waiting at the luggage carousel.
6. Respect their space. I once sat next to a guy who kept falling asleep and thought my shoulder was his pillow. I spent the better part of the flight pushing on his arm to wake him until he straightened up, only to fall asleep again. Keep your body, arms, laptop, papers, and anything else within the confines of your seat space.
7. Ask for help early on. If you feel you have to change your seat, need an extra pillow, or some other assistance, ask for it before the flight attendants start their routine with drinks or food. It’s hard to make way for people running up and down the aisles when there are carts blocking the way.
8. Start the honeymoon when you get off the plane. Love is great, but when it is played out in the seats next to you like something out of an X-rated movie, it can make others uncomfortable.
9. Save personal hygiene for the hotel. Cleaning and filing your nails, cleaning your ears, flossing your teeth—these are good for your health but are no-nos while at 30,000 feet.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.