Flying brings out the best and worst in people. You are stuck in a metal tube with strangers, elbow to elbow, for hours — so a little courtesy goes a long way. Plane etiquette is back in the spotlight today after former Qantas captain Richard de Crespigny warned on the Today show that there is “absolutely no reason” for travellers to walk around barefoot on a plane. Here is what he said, what fellow passengers actually find most annoying, and the simple rules that will keep your next flight pleasant for everyone.
Quick answer: the golden rules of plane etiquette
Keep your shoes and socks on, especially on short flights. Do not kick the seat in front of you. Always wear headphones. Recline slowly and never during meals. Keep your feet, bags and elbows in your own space. Wait your turn to get off the plane. That covers almost every complaint passengers have — and it is backed up by fresh survey data.
De Crespigny’s warning is worth hearing in full: the veteran pilot, who safely landed Qantas flight QF32 after an engine explosion in 2010, called walking barefoot around the cabin a hygiene and safety problem, not just bad manners. You can read his comments in the Nine report on his Today interview.
Why plane etiquette is in the news
De Crespigny was speaking on Nine’s Today program on 9 November 2026, alongside etiquette expert Kate Heussler. His main target was passengers who remove their shoes and socks mid-flight and then walk around the cabin barefoot. He recalled a flight years ago where cabin crew had to tell a passenger to put his shoes and socks back on because the smell was so bad.
His point was not just about smell. Plane cabin floors are cleaned on demand rather than after every flight, so whatever is on the floor ends up on bare feet. And there is a safety angle too: if the plane has to evacuate down the emergency slides, bare feet are a real hazard. His advice is simple — taking your shoes off on a long flight is “totally understandable”, but do it only after take-off, keep your socks on, and keep your shoes close so you can slip them back on quickly.
What passengers find most annoying
The complaints are not just one pilot’s opinion. Research from comparison site iSelect, published in July 2026, asked Australian travellers about their biggest in-flight bugbears. Seat kicking came out on top, named by 42 per cent of travellers. Watching videos or making calls without headphones annoyed 34 per cent, and reclining a seat on a short flight bothered 32 per cent. Feet resting on the window or armrest next to you, and people standing up the second the plane lands, also ranked high.
A separate survey of 2,500 people by YouGov and The Points Guy found the same pattern. Noise was the number one annoyance, named by 27 per cent of respondents — loud talking, music and videos played without headphones. The seat recline came second. And when it comes to getting off the plane, 65 per cent said the right way is to wait until your row is next in line, while only 10 per cent thought it was fine to push ahead when there is a gap.
1. Keep your shoes and socks on
This is the rule making headlines, and it is the easiest one to follow. On a short domestic hop there is no need to take your shoes off at all. On a long-haul flight, it is fine to slip your shoes off once you are in the air — but keep your socks on, and never walk around the cabin, to the toilet or up the aisle, in bare feet. Bring a pair of clean socks or light slippers if you want to be comfortable. And put your shoes back on before landing, so you are ready if anything goes wrong.
2. Do not kick the seat in front of you
Seat kicking is the single most hated habit in the iSelect survey, named by 42 per cent of travellers. It is worse than noisy kids and worse than loud videos. If you have kids, help them keep their feet off the seat in front. If you are the one being kicked, a polite word usually fixes it — most people do not realise they are doing it. If it keeps happening, ask the crew.
3. Always wear headphones
Nobody else wants to hear your show, your music, your game or your phone call. This is the one rule with almost no exceptions. Pack headphones in your carry-on, not in the overhead locker, and check they work before take-off. The same goes for video calls and voice messages — if the person next to you can hear both sides of the conversation, it is too loud. On speakerphone is never acceptable on a plane.
4. Recline slowly — and never during meals
Reclining is the great plane debate. The seat reclines because it is designed to, but the person behind you paid for that space too. A quick glance or a quiet word before you lean back costs nothing and prevents most arguments. Recline slowly, not in one sudden shove. Never recline while the person behind you is eating or working on a laptop. And on a short flight, think twice — a third of Australian travellers in the iSelect survey called reclining on short flights one of their top annoyances.
5. Keep your feet and elbows to yourself
Your feet belong on the floor, not on the armrest, the seat in front of you, or poking through the gap between seats. Nine in ten people in a KAYAK survey said putting feet up against the seat in front is not acceptable. The same rule applies to elbows: the unwritten convention is that the middle seat gets both armrests, since the window passenger has the wall and the aisle passenger has extra room. And keep your bag, jacket and rubbish in your own space, not spilling into your neighbour’s.
6. Wait your turn to get off
The plane has landed, the seatbelt sign is off, and everyone stands up at once — then nobody moves for ten minutes. A quarter of Australian travellers named this instant standing as a major annoyance. Etiquette expert Kate Heussler puts it well: there is nothing wrong with standing after sitting for hours, but if the door is not even open, everyone is just standing around waiting. The orderly way is row by row, front to back. The one exception is a tight connection — in that case, tell the crew or the passengers around you and ask politely to go ahead.
7. Go easy on strong smells
Hot, smelly food, strong perfume and body odour are all worse in a sealed cabin. Save the fish and chips or the durian for after you land. If you bring food on board, choose something cold and mild. A quick freshen-up before boarding helps everyone, and if you are unwell, a mask is a courteous touch.
8. Be fair with the overhead bins
Put your bag in the bin above your own seat, wheels first, and do not spread one bag across space meant for three people. If your bag fits under the seat, put it there and leave the bins for larger bags. And if you are in a later boarding group, do not move other people’s bags to make room — ask the crew for help instead.
9. Follow the crew’s instructions
Seatbelt signs, tray tables up, seats upright for take-off and landing — these are safety rules, not suggestions. Standing up before the seatbelt sign goes off after landing is one of the habits Heussler says she sees on almost every flight. If the crew asks you to do something, do it the first time. They deal with hundreds of passengers a day, and a calm, cooperative passenger makes their job much easier.
What to do when someone breaks the rules
Start with a polite, direct word — a simple “sorry, would you mind not kicking my seat?” works more often than you’d expect. Keep it friendly and specific. If that does not help, or if the behaviour is aggressive, do not get into an argument. Press the call button and let the crew handle it. That is literally their job, and they would rather sort it out early than deal with a confrontation at 35,000 feet.
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to take your shoes off on a plane?
Yes, on a long flight, once you are in the air — but keep your socks on and your shoes within reach. Never walk around the cabin barefoot, and put your shoes back on before landing. On short flights, just leave them on.
Is reclining your seat rude?
Not on its own — the seat is built to recline. It becomes rude when you slam it back without warning, recline during meals, or recline on a very short flight when the person behind you has no room. A quick word first solves most of it.
Can I stand up as soon as the plane lands?
You can stand to stretch, but do not push forward until your row is called or it is your turn. Most travellers agree the fair way off is row by row, front to back — unless you have a tight connection, in which case ask politely.
What is the most annoying thing passengers do?
According to iSelect’s 2026 survey of Australian travellers, it is kicking the seat from behind, named by 42 per cent. Noise without headphones and reclining on short flights round out the top three.
