Give up the armrest to the middle seat and NEVER touch headrests when walking in the aisle: Etiquette expert reveals ultimate list of do's and don'ts when traveling on an airplane

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An etiquette expert has revealed the 20 rules you should always follow when travelling. 

Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of Protocol School of Etiquette in Palm Beach, Florida, has shared some of the most important tips to follow when flying to your next vacation spot. 

By sharing some basic rules, she brought airplane etiquette back to the forefront of the conversation just one month after a pilot revealed the ultimate list of do's and don'ts while flying. 

From leaving those wearing headphones alone to wiping down the bathroom sink, the expert shared her best advice to help you master travelling. 

Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore has revealed the 20 rules you should always follow when travelling

She said you should never treat the plane like your living room (stock image)

Speaking to Fox, she said: 'With the seats getting smaller and smaller these days, we all have to learn to get along.' 

Jacqueline began by discussing food on board. 

She noted that you should never bring anything that will stink up the entire plane.   

'There’s nothing more annoying than having to smell someone’s greasy fish tacos,' she added. 

The etiquette expert also said that by choosing a carry on bag you can lift, and wiping down the sink in the bathroom, you are helping yourself. 

She explained you should never 'rely on others to risk pulling a muscle' when lifting your bag and should avoid treating the plane's bathroom like your own. 

Many people hate the pestering requests to switch seats with someone, well luckily, the etiquette expert had a solution. 

She said that if you have to swap spots, then ensure the new seat is comparable to your original. 

'Don’t assume you’re entitled to an upgrade just because you paid for a cheap seat and you want to sit with a family member in a more expensive seat,' Jacqueline said. 

And while she doesn't recommend seat swapping, she did gave reclining your seat her stamp of approval. 

However, she suggest you take look to ensure you won't break someone's knees in the process. 

If you are travelling alone it can be tempting to strike up conversation to the person next to you, however, Jacqueline recommends you look for one thing before you start chatting them up: headphones. 

She explained that someone wearing headphones is their way of saying 'do not disturb.' 

She also noted that you should opt for headphones so you don't have to hear any crying babies or loud snorers.  

The etiquette expert added: 'If someone chooses to engage in a conversation with you, keep your voices down. No one wants to hear your conversation.' 

And you should never bend over or crawl through anyone on your row to have a quick conversation or even to go to the bathroom. 

The etiquette expert recommended you always wipe down the bathroom sink (stock image)

She explained you should never 'rely on others to risk pulling a muscle' when lifting your bag (stock image)

She suggested you say 'excuse me' rather than 'practicing your agility skills' and 'crawling' over people if you are seated in the window or middle. 

And if you are embarking on a long journey, she recommended you make a stop to the bathroom after you finish your meal to avoid disturbing other sleeping later.  

Because you should avoid crawling, the etiquette expert also advised against treating the plane like your 'living room.' 

You should keep your feat off the seats, keep your socks on, and keep your arms and legs to yourself, especially if you are in an aisle seat. 

Similarly, you should keep your items to yourself and avoid placing them in someone else's overhead bin or underneath their seat. 

'And don’t even think about putting your food, drinks or trash on someone else’s tray table without their permission,' she added. 

If you are travelling with your kids, you should always make sure you have them under control, never let them run wild. 

One of Jacqueline's top rules is that the person in the middle seat gets sole ownership of the armrests. 

The etiquette expert noted that you should leave those wearing headphones alone and always have a pair with you to avoid hearing any loud noises (stock image)

'The person in the window seat gets the best view. The person in the aisle seat gets more breathing space as well as the benefit of getting out of the plane quicker in the event of an emergency,' she told Fox. 

And not only should you avoid grabbing the armrests, but don't touch the headrests either says the etiquette expert. 

Another very important tip she had was to be respectful and kind to the flight attendants.  

She explained: 'They’re there for your safety, not to wait on you hand and foot. Furthermore, if you’re kind and considerate, you might possibly get an upgrade or an extra alcoholic beverage.

Unless you like to be detained by the TSA, keep your voice down, follow the rules and treat the flight attendants with respect.' 

And you shouldn't just be kind to the flight attendants, the etiquette expert recommended you remain nice to every and if you have a problem with another passenger always let the cabin crew handle it. 

When the plane lands, don't race to get off, instead, 'wait wait for the seatbelt sign to turn off before getting up. Be patient, wait your turn and file out in the order in which you are seated.' 

If you have a connecting flight, she recommends you politely ask if you can skip the line.