Inflight etiquette: Who gets the armrest? And should you recline your seat?

Who gets the armrest? How much hand luggage is too much? And what are the foods you should never bring onboard? We asked the experts.

Dinh Le (@flywithdinh), cabin manager at an Australian airline, Chris Chamberlin, news editor at Point Hacks, and Holly Velardo, director of Hollyday Travel, give the lowdown on the new rules of modern air travel etiquette.

I would always recommend wearing footwear for take-off and landing. Always wear slippers or shoes when you're walking around the cabin and using the lavatories. That puddle on the floor most likely isn't water and you don't want to be stepping in that with bare feet. - DL

Armrests are shared, so there's no formal "owner". That said, I know how uncomfortable middle seats can be, so if it's me sitting in the aisle or window, I'll try to keep my arm off the armrest as much as I can to give the passenger sandwiched in the middle just that little bit of extra space. - CC

Read more on Explore:

Reclining is perfectly fine, especially on longer flights. Just wait until the meal service is finished and the trays are cleared. You definitely don't want to be the one who causes someone else's dinner or drinks to end up in their lap. - HV

It's definitely OK to ask, but never to expect. Asking nicely should do the trick. Keep an eye out on the galley, as some airlines set up a snack and hydration station between meals. - DL

Smile and acknowledge your seatmates with a little gesture that you need to go. If this fails, or they are asleep, then a gentle shoulder tap should suffice. If not, press the call bell and your flight attendant should be able to wake up the sleeping seatmate. - DL

The window shade belongs to the passenger sitting at the window seat, just like being able to stand up at any time is the privilege of the aisle seat. Don't be that passenger who sits in the aisle but demands other people change parts of their seat because you made a bad call! If you don't want to sit in the sun, choose a window seat and close the shade yourself. - CC

Yes absolutely, you can go if it's an emergency. Just ask the flight attendant if it's safe to do so. Trust me, they'd much rather you use the toilet than have to deal with an unfortunate accident. - HV

Most airlines are strict on hand baggage limits. The general rule is one personal item and one wheelie bag or similar item. The overhead bin space is shared with everyone.

Place larger bags overhead near your seat. If you have more than two bags, don't try and take up space that's meant for others. Stow your smaller bags under the seat in front. - DL

The best advice is to occupy your kids with activities that they like, such as colouring books, games, devices with content and their favourite foods. Don't rely on the airline to provide what you need. If it's other people's kids who are noisy, be kind to the parents. It's wise to have a discreet chat with the crew and let them deal with human interactions. - DL

Even if you're running super-late, it's not a great idea to charge down the aisle shouting, "Move, I'm running late!" Instead, have a quiet word with the cabin crew. They may be able to move you to a different seat for landing to be closer to the front, or might make an announcement asking other passengers to let you through. - CC

I think we've all had a run-in with smelly food on a plane once or twice in our life. It's worse when you're in such an enclosed space, so general rule of thumb is to avoid bringing food that gives off strong odours like tuna, boiled eggs or durian. - DL

Enjoy a few drinks if you like - most people do - but remember, it's not a party in the sky. On long-haul flights, people expect to get some sleep, so just because the drinks are free doesn't mean you should go overboard. Keep it classy and be mindful of others. - HV

If you have to ask onboard, then don't expect others to accommodate unless the seat is equal to or greater than your request. Avoid this by pre-selecting your seats in advance, even if it means paying for it.

Be polite, be courteous and don't ever sit in others' seats, which could make the situation uncomfortable for them. - DL

Flight attendants are there to assist you, but they're also juggling the needs of all the other passengers and have a lot to get done. It's perfectly fine to call them if you need something, but if you can, try getting up and asking them directly while they're in the galley. - HV

If you're starting to feel sick, then wearing a mask is recommended so others don't get sick. It's fine to wear a mask from the start to the end of the travel journey, but remember to properly dispose of it in a bin, rather than leaving it around your seat or inside the seat pocket. - DL

Alsolutely not. Save the phone calls for when you're on the ground. It's a great way to purposely not talk to others, especially if it has to do with work.

As a courtesy to others, most airlines don't allow phone or video calls onboard. I've seen people send voice messages, however, be very discreet and quiet with this. - DL