When a flight is delayed it is easy to react in a way that is not appropriate. A short delay is something that most people would have come to expect, but if the delay is long then it can be frustrating and we can end up acting in an inappropriate way. There are things that we really should not do during a flight delay. Some are listed below with reasons as to why they are not ideal.
Getting stressed or angry
Getting angry does not unfortunately solve any problems and nor does getting stressed. However, when we are in unfavorable situations we can sometimes feel angry or stressed. Although we may feel that the feelings are out of control, they are not. It is possible for us to stop these feelings and therefore help ourselves to feel better.
Trying to remain calm and relaxed may seem hard, but it is worth trying. There are different things that you can do and it is good to find something that works for you. Firstly think about situations where you have felt stressed or angry before and what you did to help yourself to feel better. For some people taking deep breaths or doing meditation can help. For others having a walk or doing some other sort of exercise helps. It could be that watching a comedy or listen to music helps. It is so useful to be able to identify what it might be as this will help you to prepare for it and make sure that you try to calm down using a technique that works and have the necessary downloads or apps with you so that you can.
Drinking lots of alcohol
Many people have a drink before a flight, perhaps to calm their nerves or just to pass the time. If you get delayed then there is a lot more time for drinking. You do need to be careful though as this could have some negative effects. Firstly if you are driving once the flight lands, you will need to make sure that you are not over the legal alcohol limit. If you are too drunk, you may not even be allowed to take the flight.
Drinking can also have an effect on your mood. For some people it can make them feel agitated or even angry. If alcohol does this to you then drinking in a stressful situation is not wise. Even if it does not make you feel like this, do take care with what you are drinking. Only have drinks that you know you react well to, things that you would normally drink.
Shouting at staff and demanding compensation
It can be tempted to get cross with the airline staff and demand that you be compensated for the delay. There are some circumstances when you can get compensation, but this depends on where the airline is based and where you are flying from. This because different regions have different rules. It is therefore wise to find out about compensation, whether you will be entitled to any and how to claim it but do so in a calm manner. It is worth remembering that the airline staff are also being inconvenienced by the delay and it is very unlikely that they have any influence over being able to make the flight take off more quickly.
If you want help, perhaps with compensation, finding a hotel or things like this, then they will be the best people to ask. However, if you are pleasant and well-mannered when speaking to them, they are more likely to be helpful than if you are cross, agitated and accusatory.
Moaning all the time about it
Complaining all of the time, whether to the people you are with, staff or other delayed passengers can make the situation worse. It can make you dwell on it and feel bad about it and also make everyone else feel extra bad about it too. Feeling like this is not going to help the situation. It is far better to try to stay upbeat and happy. Find things to do which are fun and try to think of some advantages rather than disadvantages if you can.
Making lots of noise
If you get agitated you could end up making a lot of noise. Stomping about and raising your voice can make other people irritated as well. If you decide to listen to music or watch some content on a mobile device then keep the volume low or wear headphones. It can be really difficult for other people to stay calm and happy if there is someone that is really disturbing them and distracting them all of the time. Being mindful of the people around you can really help them to have a better experience and will prevent them from feeling hostile towards you