Proper Internet Etiquette in the Sky

As Internet access becomes more available on airplanes, travelers are now being coached on proper Internet etiquette.

Following the installation of fleet-wide Wi-Fi service this week, AirTran Airways is distributing guides on Internet etiquette while in flight, according to USA Today .

As other airlines rush to roll out their Wi-Fi offerings, experts say proper online etiquette will become a pressing issue. "Any time we have a new way to spend time on an airplane ... it's a good idea to think about how it affects those around us," explained Anna Post, an etiquette expert and spokeswoman for the Emily Post Institute. "14B is not your office. It's an airline seat. Treat it as such."

Virgin America equipped its planes with Wi-Fi in May, while Delta, American and United were moving toward equipping all of their domestic flights with Internet access for customers.

AirTran's etiquette guide, which will be placed in every seat pocket, also includes a warning about using airplane lavatories as conference rooms.

"Over time, we think (Wi-Fi) will serve us very, very well," Bob Fornaro, chairman and president of AirTran, told USA Today. "We're trying to remind you in a fun way that you're not at home when surfing the Web at 35,000 feet."

The guide also gives passengers tips on how to keep computer screens as private as possible to protect business and personal information.

One thing you still can't do on a plane is use the Internet hookup to make phone calls using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services provided by companies like Skype. Some think if the use of cell phones on planes ever gets approved it could be a disaster.

"I'm praying cell phones don't get approved," Post said. "It will be anarchy."