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Airplane Etiquette

By The Associated Press

Delta has a new series of videos aimed at making the skies a little friendlier. Airplane Etiquette

Published: Mon, December 10, 2007 - 3:15 am Last Updated: Mon, December 10, 2007 - 3:20 am

ATLANTA (AP) - Volumes have been written about how to properly
behave at weddings or which fork to use at fancy dinners.
But when it comes to dealing with the neighboring passenger who
hogs precious airline arm space or the unruly kid who won't pipe
down on crowded flights, there's precious little out there.
Until now.
Delta Air Lines is trying to raise awareness of behavior in the
air by creating an animated series of videos showing passengers
confronted with delicate social situations.
The Atlanta-based company is rolling out "Planeguage: The
language of traveling by plane," a series of 25 humorous videos
the airline has posted online and introduced on flights this month.
The snippets include "Middleman," about the middle-seat bully;
"Kidtastrophe," depicting unruly tots on planes; "Lav Dance,"
about the person who bumps into everyone in the airplane aisle
while returning from the lavatory; and "Shady Lady," about the
passenger who raises or closes the window shade without considering
other passengers.
Spokeswoman Betsy Talton says the videos, which were created
after Delta officials heard customers talk about experiences aboard
planes, are meant to "help raise travelers' consciousness about
what it means to be good travel companions."
Airlines and customers have differed on what it means to be a
good traveler. Southwest Airlines Co. was criticized for telling a
young woman in July that her outfit was too revealing to fly. Chief
Executive Gary Kelly issued an apology to the young woman, Kyla
Ebbert, that was read on "The Dr. Phil Show."
Andrew R- Thomas, an assistant professor of international
business at the University of Akron and an author of books on air
travel and security, says that part of the problem is that airlines
have NOT properly educated the public on what to expect aboard a
plane. And growth in air travel has meant thousands of new
passengers who have never been in the air.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-12-09-07 1445EST