Don’t be a tech jerk when you travel

Published 9:09 am Monday, December 11, 2023

The stress of holiday travel rarely brings out our best. But seat-back screens, a carefully cultivated Spotify collection and other techie travel niceties can help take the edge off. The catch? Remembering that the way you and your family use your tech affects other people, too.

To help, here’s a brief guide on the tech etiquette you ought to keep in mind while in transit.

Don’t hog the power outlets

If you’re lucky, you’ll find some open power outlets near your airport gate, or mounted low between the seats on an upcoming flight. These are a huge help for keeping your gadgets charged in transit, but please resist the urge to leave your stuff plugged in indefinitely.

There is one exception: If you travel with power outlet splitters — decent ones usually cost less than $20, and they’re a huge help at conferences and trade shows — then more people can plug in at once. Your fellow travelers will no doubt appreciate your generosity and consideration.

Mind your screen’s brightness

Few things are as annoying as someone watching a flashy movie on a screen at full brightness while you’re trying to get some shut-eye.

If you like to settle into your seat with a film — or if you’re prone to falling asleep while watching something — do everyone a favor and dial down the brightness first. Be mindful of that light whether you’re watching something on a seat-back display, a laptop, or a tablet propped up in the dining car.

Consider your audience when deciding what to watch. You of course have the right to watch whatever you want, but if your seat is surrounded by children, “The Silence of the Lambs” may freak out the tiny screen-peepers around you.

Headphones are a must — even for kids

On nearly every flight I’ve been on this year, I’ve been within earshot of a child watching “Peppa Pig” or “Bluey” on a tablet with the volume dialed up. The first time it happened, I grinned. The kid was cute! But it was less charming the 14th time. Don’t be the parent who lets this happen.

There’s no consensus on how young is too young for headphone use, but it’s easy to find headphones meant for toddlers. You still need to be careful with those kid-friendly cans, though: The World Health Organization recommends that children avoid listening at volumes higher than 75 decibels for more than 40 hours a week.

Here’s a rule of thumb: Your child sitting next to you should still be able to hear you talking to them over a movie and the din of the cabin. If they can’t, turn down the volume. In fact, if they’re young enough, they may not need to hear anything — lots of parents have told me they just turn off audio entirely.

And if you’re, say, older than 12 and still prefer to watch video out loud on planes, trains and automobiles? No excuses: Be considerate, put on headphones, and let everyone else relax a little, too.

Turn off any scheduled alarms

Here’s another one to file under: Don’t ruin red-eyes. You may rely on your smartphone to wake up in the morning, but not everyone keeps the same schedule as you. Be sure to turn off any upcoming alarms, or, if you absolutely need them, set them to vibrate only.

Not everyone wants to cameo in your content

It’s not hard to see why the post-travel reunion video has become such a social media mainstay — “Love, Actually” had it right when the holiday classic said “love is everywhere” at airports.

We’re not telling you to avoid chronicling those moments, but remember: Not everyone in an arrival hall will be as keen to make an appearance in your photos and videos as the folks you’re trying to capture. Do your best to keep innocent passengers out of your rendezvous videos.