Laptop Etiquette Takes to the Skies

Aug. 21, 2007— -- Is it OK to read a fellow passenger's spreadsheet when it's just sitting there in full view? Do you feel entitled to watch R-rated slasher flicks? And what about the kids? Do you have to tailor your DVD selections for their — or their parents'— sensibilities?

Such questions are up for debate in an era when planes are packed to record levels, more travelers use laptops for work and entertainment — and there are no official rules guiding laptop etiquette in the sky.

According to a survey last year of 601 business travelers who use laptops, 45% admitted to peeking at someone else's laptop in public places. Fifty percent said they've noticed others looking at their laptop in public places. Manufacturing giant 3M, which sells privacy filters for laptop screens, paid for the research.

Whether passengers snoop or not, they may have difficulty escaping a neighbor's laptop screen, says Michael Steiner of Ovation Travel, a New York-based corporate travel agency.

"You're in tight quarters. There's not a lot to look at," Steiner says. "Sometimes it's tough to keep your eyes from wandering."

In past years, battery life generally limited the length of in-flight laptop sessions. But today, airports are installing more electrical sockets, and most airlines are installing outlets throughout their planes, allowing travelers to power laptops for their entire flight.

At the same time, computer manufacturers are offering models with larger screens, increasing their visibility.

While stuck in October at a gate at Reagan Washington National waiting for a delayed flight to St. Louis, frequent-flier Armand Davila noticed a fellow flier hunched over a laptop and discovered he was viewing X-rated content despite his seat's open location.

"He was obviously doing his best to try and hide it," says Davila, a website developer from Washington, D.C. After 10 minutes, however, "Someone yelled, 'Oh, my Lord,' " and the man closed his laptop.

Sexual content isn't the only material that can offend others. Harold Gilbert of London, Ontario, found that G-rated games can be just as annoying.