Flight attendant reveals the 10 biggest mistakes passengers make

Before summer rolls around the corner sooner than expected, flight attendants are sharing their insider tips and advice to make your next plane journey smoother.

One resurfaced Instagram reel from a flight attendant highlighted the three common mistakes passengers tend to make. But she's not alone in offering travel wisdom from her years on the job.

With a decade of experience as a flight attendant, Beth Windsor has seen it all.

Here are the top ten mistakes she's noticed passengers make:

Walking around barefoot

When it's a long flight, wearing shoes for a long time can get uncomfortable. However, heading to the restroom without footwear or socks may lead to an unpleasant surprise during turbulence.

Windsor claims that 'the floor is probably dirtier than it looks' and suggests passengers keep some cheap hotel slippers in their carry-on to keep the germs away from their feet.

Never walk around barefoot on a plane / Hinterhaus Productions / Getty

Being rude to crew members

Windsor pointed out: 'Air travel can be stressful and tiring, but taking your frustration out on the people who try to make the journey easier and safer isn't the right solution.'

Being that they're the ones who serve the meals and treat you in emergencies, you might not want them as an enemy.

Putting food in the seat pocket

Whilst the aircraft undergoes a deep clean between flights, there isn't enough time to 'thoroughly sanitise the inside of each seat pocket between flights.'

Windsor claims that she's seen everything from 'underwear to diapers' in them, so best to keep food out of there.

Ignoring safety instructions

I get it, if you're a regular flyer, you're probably tired of hearing the same demonstration over and over.

However, the exit locations and operations can change between planes and airlines, so make sure to listen up in the event of a worst-case scenario.

Booking seats with extra legroom

Whilst it's tempting to book seats with extra legroom for long hauls, there's a higher chance you'll be sat next to crying babies.

As the extra legroom seats are by the bulkhead is usually where the bassinette is placed, making it a 'hotspot for crying babies.'

Passengers mistakenly used the seat pocket to store food / Constantine Johnny / Getty

Drinking alcohol too quickly

The low humidity on the plane coupled with the low cabin pressure can cause passengers to feel the effects of alcohol more quickly.

Play it safe by pacing yourself and drinking plenty of water.

Trying sleep medication

Nervous flyers might find peace of mind in taking a few sleeping pills to tolerate the flight and knocking back a few glasses of wine.

Unfortunately, Windsor has explained that it regularly leads to medical emergencies, alongside this, the resulting drowsiness can cause issues if in the case of emergencies.

Drinking unbottled water

Some research finds that the quality of tap water can vary depending on the airline, but just to be safe, keep to bottled water.

Drinking from the tap might just keep you in the restroom for the remainder of your flight.

Disregard personal space

There's no problem seeking comfort on flights by reclining your chair and stretching out for extra room, but passengers can easily forget about others around them.

The flight attendant advises passengers to be mindful of how much space they're taking.

Pressing the call button

This button should only be used for 'urgent matters' so don't click it unless you have one.