By LESLEY CARLIN
TripAdvisor.com Q: On a flight from JFK-LAX, the kid behind me was kicking my seat the entire time. Her mother didn't say a word, even though I turned around and glared at them. Is there anything I could have done?A: Don't suffer in silence. If a pointed glare doesn't change anything, and the kid is old enough to know better, speak up.
However, don't turn around and bark, "Hey lady, control your brat!" (Even if it's tempting.) You'll get better results if you are exceedingly polite. Talk to the kid, not the parent, and say something like this:
"Aren't you adorable! Is that a Barbie? My niece is about your age and LOVES Barbies. Could I ask you a favor? Would you mind not kicking my seat? It's really uncomfortable. Thank you!"
Say it with a big smile, and say it loud enough so her mother hears.
This isn't foolproof -- the mom might be one of those jerk parents who think the little angel can do no wrong. If the kid keeps kicking, I can only suggest gritting your teeth and enjoying a good, stiff drink from the beverage cart.
Q: My sister is planning to wear sweatsuits on her trip to Paris next month. She thinks this is fine because she bought them at Saks. I think that's hogwash. Who's right?
A: You are. I don't care if you paid $250 for it and it proclaims that your butt is "Juicy" -- a sweatsuit is a sweatsuit. It belongs in a gym, not on the streets of Paris!
Q: The guy seated next to me on my Boston-Miami flight brought clam chowder on the plane! It stunk up the whole cabin, and he spilled it on my purse. What foods shouldn't you bring on a flight?
A: Above all, don't bring anything with a strong odor. You may think that runny French cheese/Big Mac/eggplant in garlic sauce smells delicious, but I assure you, the rest of the plane does not. Also avoid anything requiring complicated DIY assembly, like fajitas, and anything that does not mix well with turbulence, like soup. Noisy foods are another poor choice; I don't want to see or hear anyone devouring corn on the cob at 30,000 feet. And just because you can buy it in the airport doesn't mean you should bring it on the plane. Even in Boston, where there's a Legal Seafoods steps from the gates in Terminal B.
(E-mail travel-etiquette questions to Lesley Carlin at deartripadvisor(at)tripadvisor.com.)
