13 Etiquette Rules To Remember Next Time You Fly

The reality of air travel in the 21st century is that flying economy is unpleasant.

Airlines are cutting service and packing planes to improve razor thin profit margins, while flights aren't getting any shorter. And customers are feeling the pain: A United Airlines flight was recently forced to divert after two passengers got in a fight over a gadget called the Knee Defender that stopped one from reclining his seat.

If you don't have the cash or the points to secure an upgrade, there are ways to make flying more pleasant, but they depend on everyone's cooperation.

We've put together a list of 13 basic rules of etiquette, based on our own flying experiences and some expert opinions. Follow them, and your next flight might just be bearable - as long as everyone else follows them, too.

Alex Davies wrote an earlier version of this story.