Plane travel advice: The best way to climb over the sleeping person sitting next to you

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This was published 6 years ago

Plane travel advice: The best way to climb over the sleeping person sitting next to you

By Annabel Fenwick Elliott
Whichever way you look at it, waking a snoozing neighbour during a long-haul flight is no fun for anyone.

Whichever way you look at it, waking a snoozing neighbour during a long-haul flight is no fun for anyone.Credit: Alamy

Whichever way you look at it, waking a snoozing neighbour during a long-haul flight is no fun for anyone. It's misery for the passenger who is dragged from their hard-earned slumber, and supremely awkward for the waker, who must temporarily ruin someone's life just in order to go to the loo.

But what of climbing over people, a solution that - if executed correctly - saves this anguish for all involved? Is it worth the risk of taking a tumble mid-climb, only for your fellow passenger to open their eyes to the sight of a stranger straddling them?

And if you do take the chance, what's the best way to perform this Spiderman shimmy - face to face, or back to face? Telegraph Travel investigates.

A recent survey conducted by British Airways revealed that 80 per cent of its passengers consider it acceptable to wake a neighbour for a bathroom break, but 40 per cent say this is only reasonable once during a single flight. For flights longer than around eight hours, however, that's a pretty big ask.

A third of those questioned said they would be willing to climb over a heavy sleeper to avoid waking them, and according to 54 percent of those, the correct etiquette is face to face.

The jury appears to be hung in regards to this crucial element, so we sought the opinion of two leading etiquette experts, William Hanson and Jo Bryant, both of whom agree it's best to face away from your neighbours while negotiating the crossing.

"Leaving the row with your bottom facing to the back of the plane is the correct way to shuffle past people," Hanson says.

But Bryant warns: "If your neighbour is asleep, think before you climb. You need to be confident there is enough room to get past comfortably, without using the headrest in front as a lever. If you decide to go for it, then always face forward and keep physical contact to a minimum."

She adds: "If in doubt, however, it is always better to wake them and ask to get out rather than attempt to squeeze past with the risk they may wake mid-climb."

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Both also suggest that it's best to communicate your position on the climb-or-not-to-climb debate at the start of the flight.

"If you find yourself in an aisle seat, have the confidence and manners to turn to your neighbour before the flight and and tell them you are completely happy for them to tap you on the shoulder and wake you up should they need to leave the row during the flight - if that's your preference," Hanson advises.

"That said, if you hate being disturbed mid-air then book a window seat and prepare to snuggle down and sleep for the whole flight." Only seek to escape, he argues, if you're really desperate.

Bryant concurs. "One frequent-flyer friend always asks her neighbour before take-off what their preference is, which perhaps is the most sensible and least embarrassing option of all."

What else did BA's etiquette survey uncover?

BA polled 1,500 of its customers in the US, UK and around Europe in order to formulate an "ultimate etiquette handbook" for the modern age of the flying.

Who owns the armrest?

A majority of 67 per cent said that it's best for a passenger to take one armrest and leave the other for their neighbour. The French, incidentally, were twice as likely to avoid the armrest altogether.

A poll revealed that 70 per cent of readers consider both the armrests, not just one, to be fair game for the middle seat passenger.

The jury has spoken.

Is it OK to remove your shoes?

Yes, according to 59 per cent of respondents - although Brits and Americans butt heads over this one. While 78 per cent of British travellers think it's fine to de-shoe, only 60 per cent of those from the US do.

As for the removal of socks, 87 per cent say it's a no-no. Strange, when you really think about it, that this number wasn't even higher.

Should snorers be tolerated?

Once again, your nationality might have something to do with how you tackle a snoring neighour. While 66 per cent of all respondents said they wouldn't intervene and wake a loud snorer, Britons were nearly twice as likely than Americans to say they would - the favoured method being a "prod", veiled as an accidental arm slip.

Is it acceptable to move seats?

Brits were also found to be more inclined to moving seats after take-off, once the seatbelt sign has been turned off, with 38 per cent saying they would if there were empty seats going begging. Sixty-two per cent of Americans, however, would wait and ask a flight attendant for permission before making the switch.

The Telegraph, London

See also: The trick to beating the nightmare of jetlag

​See also: The secret rest area where cabin crew sleep on long haul flights

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