Why you always want to sit next to the best dressed person on a flight

SHARING a row of seats with strangers is one of the least enjoyable parts of flying.

However, there are one or two telltale signs that can let you know if the person you're sitting next to is going to annoy you or not.

Apparently, the main thing to be on the lookout for is their outfit, with smarter people less likely to misbehave once the plane has taken off.

It may seem strange that something like clothing can have such an effect on people, but it turns out that psychologically, dressing up makes us want to behave better.

That's according to Thomas Plante, a psychology professor at Santa Clara University.

He told : "When people dress better, they tend to behave better."

This isn't something that's purely theoretical either, with airline professionals agreeing that sharper dressers are better passengers to deal with.

Airline pilot Ken Schulte told : "Well-dressed people never cause drama on a flight. You might not think pilots would notice all this, but every incident of bad behaviour leads to a report to the flight deck.

"The troublemakers are the ones who look like they just rolled out of bed."

It's for reasons like this that passengers and others have been calling for dress codes to be brought in by airlines.

One of those people is Christopher Elliott, who writes  for the Seattle Times.

In one of his most recent pieces, he has called for rules around passenger clothing to be implemented, to make people "more respectful".

He argued: "It’s time for a dress code for airline passengers. Seriously.

"There’s been a sharp decline of manners on board. Passengers and some psychologists believe that if people dress up before their flight, they might be more respectful — and less likely to lash out."

He suggested passengers wear "a light version of business casual" attire.

He added: "Long pants, collared shirts, dresses. Please, no bare feet or T-shirts with offensive logos. Dress modestly and respectfully. Remember, you’re in a public place."

There could also be practical advantages to wearing less casual clothing on flights as well.

Tony Kuna, who used to work as as a member of the cabin crew, explained that wearing flip flops could cause problems if there is an emergency during a flight.

He wrote on Quora: “During an emergency, all sorts of debris and unpleasant ground surfaces will block your way towards the exit, as well as outside the aircraft.

“If your feet [aren’t] properly covered, you'll have a hard time making your way to safety."

Meanwhile, this expert explained how to cut down on time spent waiting at airports.

And this travel expert revealed how to avoid jet lag on every flight.