The Right Way to Wake Someone up When You Need to Use the Restroom on a Flight

If you’re on a flight and the time comes to use the restroom but your neighbors are asleep, do you wake them up?

This can be a common dilemma when you find yourself in a middle or window seat, but it turns out that 80 percent of travelers say it’s completely fine to do so.

The number of times travelers think you should do it on a flight, however, may be less than you think.

It turns out, 40 percent of travelers say if you need to wake your neighbor up to get out of your seat, you should only do it once.

These numbers come from British Airways’ recent survey, which asked 1,500 American, British, French, German, and Italian travelers about some of the most common questions when it comes to flying etiquette.

Related: Why You Should Never Sleep Through Takeoff or Landing

While most travelers said waking up your neighbor is acceptable, a third said they would prefer to step over someone who was in a deep sleep, but they were split when it came to the best way to actually climb out.

Half of American fliers, 53 percent of British travelers, 58 percent of Italian travelers, 42 percent of French travelers, and 66 percent of German travelers said it’s best to make sure you’re face to face with your neighbor when stepping over them, while the remaining travelers said it's fine to step over someone with your back to them.

Travelers also weighed in on whether or not you should wake up a person next to you if they’re snoring.

A total of 66 percent said they would avoid waking the person up and try to ignore the snoring instead, while 20 percent of UK travelers said they would give their neighbor a shove to wake them up in that circumstance.

Related: The Plane Truth: You Don't Really Know Someone Until You've Flown Together

While getting a good rest can be crucial if you’re on a long trip or traveling for business, the seat you pick on a flight does make a difference. Window seats tend to be the best option for most sleepers, since you don’t get interrupted and can lean against the walls for neck stability.

You’ll also want to avoid the front portion of economy, which tends to be where families are booked, and the exit rows, since this is where cold air can easily leak in and make you chilly if you don’t have a blanket on hand.

Having the right pillow for your comfort doesn't hurt either.