How to Guard Your Privacy on an Airplane

While many of us find that on a short flight chatting with your neighboring passenger is amusing and passes the time, others of us frequent fliers prefer to take in some personal time which is often difficult to do given the proximity coach passengers temporarily reside in. If you’re of the latter persuasion, read on to learn about how to politely and successfully guard your privacy on an airplane.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Books, newspaper, magazines or office/school work
• Electronic devices
• Pillows and blankets

1. Establish your position as soon as you find your seat. Settle in with all your diversionary tactics ready and in your seat pocket in front of you. Grab pillows and blankets beforehand. Having a domain of entertainment and peace set up lets your fellow passengers know that you’re fully capable of amusing yourself and not at all antsy for conversation. Having your stuff ready also equips you in the event that a chatty passenger needs a patent but polite sign that you’d like to mind your business and read or sleep.

2. Remain cordial but reserved if a neighbor engages in a conversation that begins to exit the realm of small talk and enter the realm of lengthy personal talk. If you begin sharing to much of your personal life, you will find it difficult to disentangle yourself from conversation with your new pal later on in the flight.

3. Pull out supplies at key moments. If your polite yet reserved stance has not successfully conveyed your desire to guard your privacy, take a slightly bolder approach. Given a pause, reach for your book and begin settling into a concentrated read as quickly as possible. This should do the trick. You may also want to pull out headphones and gently close your eyes. Flipping through a magazine usually gets your point across, but may not be as effective as the former two tactics as it still invites light chatter and even allows your neighbor to lean over and join you in looking at photos or headlines.

4. Express your needs. If the passenger simply will not stop needling you for conversation, let him know with a sigh and beleaguered explanation of how little sleep you’d attained the night before, how much work you have to accomplish on this business trip or how much you’re dying to finish this novel you recommend he picks up for his next flight. This woeful or anxious tone allows you to get your message across without becoming too dismissive and making the flight awkward.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose your seat either online or when you check in at the counter. A window seat affords you the chance to gaze contentedly outside, politely distancing yourself from your neighbor.