Plane etiquette.
So there are a lot of rules to follow while traveling on an airplane. Some of them stated, some of them common courtesy type things.
For example, they tell you to remain in your seat while the fasten seatbelt sign is illuminated, specifically while the plane is taxiing down the runway. They do not tell you, but you ought to assume, if you are taking a 6 a.m. flight, you should brush your teeth, use some mouthwash, or do something about that morning breath (some people on the plane just stayed out all night and smelled like booze, which is an improvement over that morning breath). Both of these rules have been broken in the last few months of my travel. Ok, I'm just being picky (with reason) about the morning breath. But I have seen a lot of people lately standing up to attain their luggage from the overhead bins while the plane is still moving. It's not like having your bag while taxiing is going to make exiting any quicker because everyone else who has to get their bags is going to block you in.
This brings me to another point of flying etiquette (which they clearly state): use caution while opening the overhead bins, as luggage may have shifted during the flight. You hear that one enough that you ought to expect something to come tumbling out. But I suppose as it rarely happens, people let their guard down, or their bags if you will. And one hasty man let his bag down right into my lap. I was fortunate it was not my head because it was unpleasant enough having his bag of bricks (or whatever weighty substance) bounce off my shoulder.
Specific to budget traveling (or South West, or any other airline that does not assign seats): Nobody likes to sit bitch on the plane, but someone is going to have to crawl in between you who rushed ahead to get the good seats. So it would be nice if, when you let this traveler (usually me), into the middle seat you don't get huffy and upset that it takes me a couple minutes to organize myself and stow my bag at my feet, all within the 2'x2' box that is the allotted space on a budget flight.
Also, I have a query. Is it important to actually turn off your electronics during take off and landing, because sometimes I forget to switch my iPad into airplane mode, and I've never fully powered it down. Also, the guy next to me blatantly broke that rule by first acquiescing the flight attendant's request to turn off his mp3 player, then turning it right back on as soon as each flight attendant finished their sweep.
So, this is my entry of a square's travel perspective. Of course I am a seasoned traveler who would never commit such a heinous faux pas while flying (except that I spilled my coffee on my neighbor's seat as I was clambering to get into mine...I was a good traveler and wiped it up with my own scarf [mostly because she was glaring and refusing to sit back down, but I still did it]). But I am glad to report that my budget traveling is over for a while, and I only have 5 more flights to complete this tour of the world! (Actually a fair number of flights, as there are just two more stops via plane).
