Tips For Being Courteous To Fellow Airplane Passengers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Holiday travelers may have more to contend with than long lines at airports and full body scanners. More people are traveling with their pets, and some passengers are opting to do their nails at 30,000 feet. What if you are allergic to any or all of the above?
Phillip's complaint rests mainly with his fellow passengers' lack of common courtesy.
"It happened to me last Friday," he recalled recently. "The lady in front of me was spraying enough perfume for the entire plane. I said, 'Ma'am, I need to breathe.' And she said, 'Oh, I'm sorry,' but continued to spray."
Southwest Airlines spokesman Paul Flanagan says they do try to remind travelers to be polite.
"We definitely ask that people use common sense and realize that you are crammed into a smaller tube with potentially 137 other passengers and to be respectful of that," he says.
Perfume is bad enough. What about if someone brings Fido or Fluffy the cat onboard?
Dr. Megan Taylor of Allergy and Asthma Care in Meadowbrook says if you are allergic, get another seat.
"No one should be sitting next to Fido if they have a dog allergy," she said. "It needs to be clarified and the distance in the plane should be as far as possible."
Flanagan says to be sure to tell your carrier that you have an allergy when you book your flight and remind the ticket agent or flight crew when you arrive. He says Southwest planes are equipped with a hospital quality air filtration system, which can help significantly.
Reported By Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio 1060.
