American Airlines Pilot Reminds Passengers of Plane Etiquette

An American Airlines pilot was praised for reminding passengers of simple airline etiquette. Footage of the candid announcement was shared on Instagram on July 26 by comedian Anna Leah Maltezos. In the video, the captain could be heard encouraging passengers to treat flight attendants nicely. He even joked about flight attendants representing his “will.”

He said, “Remember the flight attendants are primarily here for your safety, after that they’re going to make your flight more enjoyable.” “They’re going to take care of you guys, but you will listen to what they have to say because they represent my will in the cockpit or in the cabin. And my will is what matters,” he added.

He also encouraged passengers to “be nice” and “respectful”. The captain said that “You people should treat people the way you want to be treated. But I have to say it every single flight because people don’t.” He added that “And they’re selfish and rude and we won’t have it.”

Basic Plane Etiquette

The captain went on to explain basic plane etiquette that should be followed inside the aircraft. He mentioned that carry-on items should stay “out of everybody else’s way.” He said that “Everybody paid for a space. Don’t lean on other people. Don’t fall asleep on other people.” The captain candidly joked that passengers shouldn’t “drool” on other passengers “unless you’ve talked about it and they have a weather-resistant jacket.”

He then sarcastically reminded people to stop playing videos out loud or talk on their phones on speakerphone. “The social experiment of listening to videos on speaker mode and talking on a cell phone in speaker mode, that is over,” the captain said. He added that “Nobody wants to hear your video. I know you think it’s super sweet. It probably is, but it’s your business, right? So keep it to yourself.”

Lastly, the captain talked to the passengers sitting in the middle seats. He said that middle seats “suck.” After which, he announced “You own both armrests. That is my gift to you. Welcome on board our flight.”