> a problem left to etiquette

I fly regularly, and it will absolutely become a problem on day 1.

This seems so backwards to me, why would you want other people to behave the way you want them to when you can just put in earplugs, noise cancelling headphones, have self control and not get annoyed, etc etc. It seems crazy to me that people consider something so minor to be uncouth or whatever. I think in general the onus to take care of something should be on the person getting annoyed and only until you've exhausted your easy options should it shift to compromise.

Like I get why we have cultural norms and stuff for the most part, but if it's something that you can easily solve for yourself imposing on other people seems very selfish.

Just let people live their lives and don't be mad.

Talking about economy class flights - you aren't paying enough to avoid what is often extremely inconsiderate behaviour, you're stuck very close together, there's literally zero prospect of getting off it early if any bad behaviour occurs, and you often can't even change seats if there's bad behaviour.

>"This seems so backwards to me, why would you want other people to behave the way you want them to when you can just put in earplugs, noise cancelling headphones, have self control and not get annoyed, etc etc."

Because you are in a captive environment at increasingly close quarters on increasingly fuller flights. "Live and let live" is a great philosophy but flying coach today is not the same level of "shared public space" as say walking on a city sidewalk or sitting in a park.

Why ban smoking on the plane when you can just breathe through a mask and deal with it ?

Earplugs, noise cancelling headphones etc are imperfect just like masks are.

I really don't think these are at all the same class of thing. One is like, a basic human need? I think for most people? The other is a harmful vice that has a lot of documented negative effects.

> noise cancelling headphones

decent, working anc is still out of financial reach for many people flying in economy. there's no way not to be classist when talking about what flying economy is like today, but the average hn participator probably has more disposal income than the average american.

> I think in general the onus to take care of something should be on the person getting annoyed

i'd agree, except it takes one person to be magnificently annoying to 5 or 6 people at once. sometimes less, often more.

While I generally agree with a live and let live attitude, someone who would listen to music out loud, or have a phone call in anything other than the most hushed tones in an airplane are inconsiderate sociopaths

> it will absolutely become a problem on day 1

To the degree it's permitted by airline policy, it will almost certainly be on a premium Wi-fi tier and restricted to call booths.

> restricted to call booths

on an airplane? there is no way that could possibly work.

You can take a call in a restaurant, yet almost no one does.

Have you been around people in the last 10+ years?

Etiquette will fail.

If this ability is there, the airlines need rules. People will use it.

Etiquette can be enforced.

The problem with enforcement is that it is always uneven. And, when you can't get away from the person violating etiquette, it sucks real hard.