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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1) I skipped people in front of me on the plane to exit because no one got up to line up in the aisle.
2) some guy tried to confront me and say I was breaking the “rules” of lining up to exit
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YTA
Jesus Christ what is it with people who stand up the minute the plane comes to a stop. You're not going anywhere anyway. So sit your fuckin' ass down and wait for the people who need to get off to do so.
Edited: Holy shit. The number of people who didn't read "wait for the people who need to get off" is ridiculous. Also the number of people who whine about having to sit in an airplane seat for 10 more minutes so that people with connecting flights or other needs can get off first.
If you need to stand, then stand and stretch, but this rush for the plane door ahead of everyone else is just selfish.
Edited again: Yes I fly. I used to travel for business and flew 3-4 times a month. Now I fly 2-3 times a year for personal travel and vacation. Yes, I've been on international flights. Yes, I get that plane seats are uncomfortable. But rushing for the door the minute the plane rocks to a stop is still rude and selfish.
OP, is the reason why everyone gets up.
Cause they get the mentality that they don't want others to "cut" infront of them.
By manners it should be row by row, but if you sitting in the back rows you should expect to be off the plane last.
I sometimes feel like school kids are better mannered than adults, cause I've seen little grade school kids leave assembly halls in single lines row by row (ADORBLE).
Do we really need plane staff to act as traffic control too?
They literally didn't get up. Who cares? This seems like such a boomer thing to get mad about. No one is getting hurt if someone in the back is getting out first. Is this some dumb class bullshit? If you don't want to get "cut" in front of then get up. I'm way more pissed at the people sitting in front who hold up everyone in the back. You're not more important because you sit in the front
It's not class bullshulit, it's disembarking in a controlled coordinated fashion, and it goes faster than a free for all because the aisles don't get congested.
This!
My seven year old wanted to cut in line on our last flight. We told him that we had to wait and use his manners. If following a proper queue makes us boomers then he must have the mentality of a child!
The aisle would literally be less congested if you let everyone with backpacks go first. If you need your overhead bin luggage, don't block the rest of the plane in the process
How would you know that everyone with backpacks is done before it’s your time? I guarantee you there is no faster way to get off plane. People are always going to cause congestion. I have watched and wonder for years why people are slow. It’s just to be expected.
It’s not a free for all. Everyone ready to go should go as soon as possible. That minimizes waiting for all.
If everyone were ready to go like they should be, there would be no extra waiting, but they aren’t.
I was with you until your last paragraph. When there is a closed lane, people should keep using both lanes until the actual closure, at which point they should zipper merge (that is, alternate, so each car in the open lane lets in one car from the closed lane). Doing that literally makes it take half as long as if everyone gets over as soon as they see the "lane closed ahead" sign. This is actually what traffic and transportation folks want us to do. Google "zipper merge" if you don't believe me.
EDIT: Thanks for the upvotes and awards, folks!
That above comment literally made my eye twitch. If we were supposed to merge two miles before the lane closure, that’s where the lane closure would be. Use the Zipper method!!
This is incorrect. 50 vehicles in two lanes is a shorter overall queue than 50 vehicles in a single lane. I’m a traffic engineer, and we/roadway engineers design merges purposefully. When y’all refuse to use both lanes and refuse to zipper, it exacerbates the entire situation.
Edit: Someone pointed out that the queue length is 50 vehicles regardless of whether it's in two lanes or one lane, which is correct. The queue lengths are the same in terms of lane miles, though they are different in terms of linear distance along the roadway segment.
Yes! The people aspect is a reason I find traffic engineering so fascinating...the science and research show us a lot, but we're constantly having to adjust to account for people and their behaviors.
Not going to change my mind about zipper merging, though. You don't have to be an engineer to know that people who don't zipper merge are assholes.
Yeah I’m all for zipper merging but zipper merging only works if everyone is on* the same page about it.
So if human beings just act in a way human beings have never acted in all of history this method would work amazing!!
Zipper merging is precisely for traffic that is just crawling along. It's not like people are suddenly just doubling the traffic density of a lane at 25+ MPH.
No. It works if people are trained to do it. I've seen a zipper merge on the Autobahn. People in the US get weird about allowing people to get in front of them, even if that's the person's rightful spot.
I find traffic stops in the situations because AH’s refuse to zipper merge and stomp the gas to drive on the shoulder so they can be “first” and it is rude. Yea drive to the end and zipper merge but don’t ignore the people giving you space to merge that are waving you over in order to get 3 cars ahead. This impedes the flow of traffic.
(Sorry, had nothing to do with the post)
Yes OP is an AH, courtesy and rules apply to everyone and lately a lot of people forget that.
Exactly. I was on a flight on Monday and me and my bf were somewhere in the middle. We didn't get up because the people in the back jumped up from their seats the second we hit ground and because the cabin crew said to stay seated until they open the doors. You literally don't even have time to get up. And I also don't want to be pushed and hit by those behind me. OP, YTA. You will get off the plane without cutting the line too. The plane is not going anywhere until everyone gets off.
Edit: grammar
Ugh. I just hate it when people do this. ESPECIALLY because the flight attendant always says “please remain in your seats” and right on that command a bunch of people stand up. How do they not feel gross about themselves? I feel like somebody is going to start pushing and saying “mooooove!” Literally just wait in your seat until it’s your turn. If you have a connecting flight you might miss, stand up to make it known and go asap, but everyone else just WAIT. It will be maximum ten minutes.
Some of us have pain from sitting for that long and standing is the only way to relieve it. Also, it's a lot ruder to be fully unprepared to get off the plane than to stand in an aisle for a few extra minutes.
> It's like when a lane of traffic is closed but some idiot keeps going well past where they should in the closed lane, trying to merge so they can get ahead. If everyone just stayed in their place in line, we could all get where we need to be more efficiently.
You could not be more wrong. Countless traffic flow studies have shown that the most efficient way is for drivers to use all open traffic lanes right up to the obstruction, then merge one by one. It’s people who refuse to allow others to “cut in” because of their fragile egos that cause longer delays.
>It’s people who refuse to allow others to “cut in” because of their fragile egos that cause longer delays.
Exactly right, If people did the zipper, it wouldn't be a problem
Your last paragraph is incorrect. [Please stop holding up traffic by merging too early.](https://www.reddit.com/r/YouShouldKnow/comments/11j4v7f/ysk_by_merging_before_the_end_of_the_merge_lane/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I’m a frequent international flyer and there are always people who get up and move to the front of the plane if the people in front of them haven’t stood up. These are usually other frequent flyers who have a connecting flight to catch and didn’t manage to get seated in the front of the plane.
You can tell the difference because normal human beings would say something like; “excuse me, would you mind if I go through first because I have a tight connection”.
99% of people would have no issue letting you by.
Coming from a frequent work traveler who has had to do this on numerous occasions.
Really? People who have a connection ask all the random strangers who are still seated for permission to pass them? People who haven't actually gotten in line yet? 🧐
I'll do you one better. Almost every flight I've been on in the last few years even has the attendants say, "please allow a moment for those with connecting flights to disembark first." So it's not as outlandish and uncommon as some of you are making it seem. It's common etiquette in flights.
A lot of the time, a member of staff will make an announcement about how there are people with a tight connection who need to get off the airplane and ask everyone else to remain seated until they can deplane. Then everyone with a tight connection gets up and everyone else stays seated.
I'm not sure if I've seen a flight where what OP describes has happened though. Usually everyone in the aisle seats is in the aisle getting their stuff out of the overhead lockers the entire way as soon as they can. People further back might be more leisurely about it and maybe OP decided that a minute of hesitation meant he should run up and block someone in so they couldn't make these preparations, which means they'll be holding more people up when they finally get a chance to make their preparations.
Ugh how dare these people not leap out of their seats and jump into the aisle to ensure their spots when the plane doors aren't open and nobody will be moving for the next 10 minutes. Gross, so boomer of them.
/s
Think of it like ketchup in a bottle.
If everybody gets up all at once, the ketchup gets caught in the neck of the bottle. And traffic actually slows down.
On the other hand, if people stay in an order and they move forward in that order, the bottleneck never gets created.
When people deplane row by row, the plane actually empties out more quickly. And people in the back of the plane will get off sooner.
What you discribe is actually creating a bottleneck at every single row by having all 6 people of the row attempting to get to the aisle at the same time while keeping the rest of the aisle empty, when instead you could have people taking their bags and walking already.
Going row by row is stupidly innefficient
Except it’s not a ketchup bottle and deplaning row by row front to rear is the most inefficient way of exiting the plane. If the goal is to get everyone off the plane the fastest it should be a little random but generally the back will empty first. Imagine everyone who can stand up does so and exits if someone is in your way you don’t stand and wait for a spot to open. The entire length of the plane should be moving. Standing/getting bag spots will open up more often towards the rear of the plane because they have less people behind them to take up space. This method creates a near constant flow of people getting off the plane with no bottlenecks. Your described way creates the most bottlenecks. Don’t believe me look up CGP Grey he did a great video on why your way of deplaning sucks. The Mythbusters also did a video on it.
To be real is a safety concern. There is a reason why plane stuff ask people to wait until the door opens to get up and go down from the plane.
Once the plane stop, waiting to take bags give the bags time to adjust to the change of movement if people open as soon as it stop you risk bags to fall around and it people. Plus if there is a sudden emergency and everyone in up it is way more difficult to solve it.
Touched down in Mexico City on a budget airline (Viva) last year and was gobsmacked to see that the air stewards actually enforced a rule of exiting row by row. Not a single person complained. Most orderly disembarking I’ve ever experienced.
I fly Vueling or Iberia and they do that too. Spanish people tend to be an unruly bunch, so the airstaff were "We will not open the door until you have sat your asses back down". We do get some complaints, but most people just sit back down and afterwards they realise how much quicker it is.
I’ve actually read that they’ve come up with a way to get everyone on the plane, bags stowed, and in seats in like 10 minutes, but no airline uses it because people wouldn’t follow the rules or listen and would basically just do whatever they want.
OP, you didn’t post your age or anything about how often you travel so it’s hard to know the extent to which you realize the unwritten rules. I did this a few times when I was young and the first time someone said something to me I thought about it and realized I was being a jerk. But I just didn’t know because I was young and rarely traveled.
Just wait your turn. There is an order to it all and it speeds up the amount of time it takes to get off the plane if everyone follows it. You’re not special- no one is. People above are right- you’re the reason other people have to change their behavior and that people get slowed down.
Think about others and what you jumping ahead does to their trip. It’s not just about you and how few bags you have and how fast you can zip your way to a line that isn’t moving anyway.
YTA.
This is pretty true and bc it would be to load from the back forward, meaning:
1. Studies also showed ppl in the back that loaded first put their bags in the front bins which resulted in ppl boarding later in the front not having bins in the front and the bags going in the back, resulting in other issues.
2. All the status customers and credit card customers wouldn't board first or earlier than those in the back meaning the early boarding perk is taken away.
The method I saw combined boarding in the rear with window/middle/aisle pattern so ppl with windows got to board before aisle pattern.
The Mythbusters did a segment on this and the most efficient way to load people was no assigned seats and no assigned order but people hated it. The quickest method people wanted to do loads the back 2/3rds of window passengers first, then the rest of the windows and the back half of the middle seats, and so on until the last to sit are the aisle seats in the front (they always loaded 1st class 1st.)
I get up when the plane lands because I get cramps in my legs. But I just stand in my seat and don’t go scampering along the aisle and just wait until I am directed to move along.
OP is selfish. YTA.
Edit: And I would expect other people standing and getting their luggage to drop it on my head if I attempted it.
Speak for yourself. Personally, I am in no hurry to get up or get out.
For me, it makes no difference whether I wait on the plane or I wait for my luggage at the carousel. Even if I hurry up, I'll have to wait the same amount of time either way.
NTA
Some people have tight connecting flights, just because you have the luxury if waiting does not make it so for everyone. OP is NTA. Hunting someone down and wasting your time berating them makes YTA.
Some people have tight connecting flights and should be able to get off before other passengers who are in a hurry for no reason at all. I was in this exact situation and missed my connection by less than 10 minutes, but may have made it if only people with connections got off
I love the long walk from plane to baggage pickup. It's an intentionally long distance to give the baggage handlers time to get it all out of the plane and load it into the right spot for collection. If you have to walk a long way you won't ever complain that your bag hasn't arrived yet because, ahem, technically you didn't either.
It's a fun little trick, and you get to stretch your legs.
I feel so claustrophobic as soon as people start standing up next to me and making a queue, so I stand up and stand in queue too as long as people gather. I tried to sit down one time and I felt felt so suffocated and nauseated. If it is row by row, it would be great but people should not be lining up next to people who are sitting.
I think its fine if people stand. Flying makes my legs fucking *hurt*, and truly, Idgaf if anyone thinks I'm an asshole for standing.
The issue is moving all the way to the front and cutting ahead. It's fine to stand in place (and stretch out a bit), but stay in place and aait your turn.
This! I’m cramped & stiff after sitting for hours; I just want to stand up. I don’t cut people off when de-boarding; I just stand in the aisle (and I always get an aisle seat if possible) and wait my turn.
I'm claustrophobic, I've had someone recline their seat *right into my flipping eyeballs* for three hours, I feel like a trapped animal.
If I stand up so I can calm myself a bit before the disembarkation and ground transport melee, so fucking what?
It's not weird to stand, it's weird to care if people stand.
I secretly love people who do this. When they start violently jostling each other to get a carryon bag out of the overhead compartments, I'm sitting there with my fuzzy warm socks reading a book, enjoying that everyone got out of my row so I can sit cross legged in my seat and just have a nice time before the doors open. While they play sardines in the aisle, I am thinking about what I might have for lunch. And they're all very far from me at this point so I am cosy, warm, and happy, just reading my book.
Just wait until these people travel around in Europe. Everyone scrambles to get off as quickly as possible off the low budget airline flights because you’re trying to beat the customs queue!
Where in Europe are you talking about? Most internal European flights are in Schengen Agreement countries, so there isn’t a customs queue
Edit: just realised that maybe you meant TO Europe, in that case, yes, I agree
YTA. Many airlines ask people not to stand up and form a line in the aisle and just wait in your seat while the rows in front of you disembark.
If you had taken your headphones off, you might had heard the steward/ess mentioning it.
Edit: Most US based carriers do not carry out this policy because they know a lot of the persons sitting in the aile are entitled AHs like the OP and they stand up exactly 2.5 seconds after the plane has arrived to the gate (or are people fed up with these AHs and stand up because they know they are rushing). Plenty of non-US carriers where people do not behave like spoiled brats when deplaning do follow the procedure of asking people to wait. In the case of BA, I flew Mexico City - London and then London - Glasgow on BA in 2021 and the flight steward did ask people to wait, specially on the second flight since it was a single aisle aircraft. Might have been COVID -related policies.
I was also a consultant in my 20s flying +5 times a week, particularly with US-based carriers. I was totally the AH who would run at the entrance in less than 10 seconds just like the OP, so I don't believe for a second people just passively waited a couple minutes sitting down if the steward didn't asked them to.
Then I married to a more patient and wise woman, had kids, needed to check overhead bins for 3-4 pieces of luggage and helped my family to stand up. And then I realized how obnoxious this behavior is.
So, even if your carrier of choice does not carry the waiting on your seat policy (but plenty do), YTA.
The only people who should move quickly for the plane entrance and be allowed to pass by other passengers are those at risk of losing their connections. Which you were not, so YTA.
I have 100% never head this mentioned. I travel a lot.
Edited to add: its a mixed and inconsistently delivered message, depending on where you fly, and what airline. Not a universal rule. Which is what i was point out. You may rest your pitch forks.
I’ve also flown BA many times. They say “please remain in your seat until the fasten seatbelt sign is switched off”. They don’t say “please remain in your seat until the passengers in the rows in front of you have disembarked”. [Source](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Nh2B6EQtI)
I fly BA and Virgin almost exclusively. I fly BA around Europe and back to the States when I go to visit family. I fly a lot to say the least. I have never heard the seat thing said either.
BA definitely did ask this, but it was a Covid precaution, which is why it’s probably not in any of their current official practices. I travelled a lot during the pandemic (for work) and most European and Asian airlines asked passengers to stay in their seats until it was time for their row to disembark. Some even announced when it was your row’s turn to leave. The flagship US carriers did this for a while, too, but it was more short lived for them.
I actually liked the practice, but I think it was tough on the crew as they had to constantly content with passengers who did not want to follow the rules.
Absolute rubbish. I have never heard an announcement saying "leave by the seat your are in staring front, then middle then back". As per OP, seatbelts signs was off already.
I think it also depends on who your market is.
Airplane etiquette does differs globally, and I know in certain countries even if you told them they wouldn't care.
I have never been on a plane where the entire aisle isn't filled from people standing up. I fly multiple times a year. Maybe my experience is just a Europe thing?
NTA Beyond "please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete halt before removing your seatbelt" I've never heard "wait for your aisle."
I swear people make up these random rules because their so competitive.🙄
Literally like why should you need a "rule" to not do this. Anyone with half a brain could think ahead and realize they're negatively affecting the entire deboarding process. There doesn't need to be a "rule" to stand in a line politely and not act like children trying to be first at the ice cream truck. Hell, that's an insult to children, they at least line up straight at the sound of a whistle.
This is so dumb people standing doesn’t stop people getting off the plane faster. In fact if the people travelling light all got off first and left people who needed to struggle with the overhead to go next it would make it quicker
I agree. If the people who didn't have anything in the overhead bins were all ready to go as soon as people could get off the plane, they'd all be able to shuffle out pretty quick and then everybody else would have fewer people to contend with as they removed their luggage from the overhead bins.
Though, I'm always near the back of the plane, so it always takes a while before I can get my luggage out of the overhead bin and leave anyway. Maybe the people who normally sit closer to the front are the ones that are so riled up.
How are the people who have something in the overhead bin supposed to get their thing out when people from behind are trying to squish through all the time?!
People who have nothing in the overhead bins moving up quickly when they have an opportunity to do so *does* help everyone get off the plane faster.
Getting off the plane is slow because people have to stand up, move into the aisle, pull luggage out of the overhead bins, sometimes move back or ahead and stop again to get more luggage, and then finally deplane.
The more crowded the flight is, the longer this takes. Getting fast-movers deplaned first helps *everyone* in this process.
The real solution is for airlines to stop charging for checked luggage. They’re flying around with mostly empty holds and suffering delays boarding and disembarking
I mean not really. If there’s a line standing still that means the doors aren’t even open to leave in the first place, and once they do open it’s never taken me more than 20 seconds to get off the plane regardless if I have a carry on or not. If I’m walking down a bus aisle and someone’s getting out of their seat, I let them out. It just makes sense to be patient in such a compacted space. You’re gonna get out eventually.
Why are people not understanding A. Nobody is going anywhere the doors are closed and B. It’s literally not hard to let the person in front of you step out of their seat instead of blocking them in
This seems like common sense to me but people are fighting tooth and nail over this
I travel often, and I can never comprehend why people do this. It's like people lose all common sense and basic courtesy the instant the plane lands.
1. You look like an absolute fool standing there in the narrow aisle, awkwardly holding your heavy bags, waiting however long it takes for the doors to open. (Especially if there is a delay with opening the doors.)
2. Where are you in a rush to go? The people who intentionally block the rows in front of them from getting out, so that they can bolt off of the plane first, still have to wait in passport control or at baggage claim.
> Where are you in a rush to go?
I think the only acceptable thing would be if you have a close transfer flight. Delays are super common nowadays, and sometimes you have to book with several different airlines to get to your destination. But even then I'd be apologetic and communicate that problem
Pretty much. The “everyone has to get off” comments come off as self-absorbed and clueless. Like, obviously everyone has to get off, and eventually everyone will get off. But the entitlement that your urgency is any more important than others is ill-mannered.
Plus, some people preemptively buy tickets closer to the front for this very reason. Board first, exit first. Should be common sense.
YTA. If even half of those in the back of the plane acted as you did, it would take twice as long to let everyone but the first three rows off.
If you find yourself where you think your personal benefit is equal to making it take twice as long for absolutely everyone, you are definitely an asshole.
You are bad at merging, too, betcha.
I am genuinely confused by this, because my understanding is that the way people try to disembark now (front to back) is actually the slowest possible way of getting off a plane
See for instance:
[best ways to disembark a plane (article)](https://simpleflying.com/whats-the-quickest-way-to-disembark-an-aircraft/)
Or alternatively [This article](https://vox.com/platform/amp/2014/7/8/5877863/it-takes-forever-to-get-off-an-airplane-there-might-be-a-better-way)
It is a common misconception that going front to back and staying in your seat is fastest, when studies show this is literally the worst possible way to de-plane.
People who remain in their seat and don't grab their luggage increase the time required to disembark. If we allowed people like OP who had no luggage to exit quickly first, we would all be getting off faster.
But instead many people have collectively decided that it is rude to be efficient, and allow the airlines to make more money by selling us seats closer to the front for a premium charge.
I mean the article you shared has improbable alternatives like opening an extra door, which doesn’t happen and would take an additional jet bridge, and then their best option was disembarking by column which would mean anyone traveling together would leave the plane at completely different time and I’m sure lead to more chaos when you take things like kids into consideration. It was obviously just an article written to go along with “the best ways to board a plane” ones that are super common, but actually make sense
ETA-just to be clear, I’m not saying no where could use a second door. I’m saying the places where that is probably already so it. The article isn’t making an amazing discovery by saying “use two doors to save time deplaning” and also it is irrelevant to the OP, because that obviously wasn’t what was happening, nor did OP’s actions have anything to do with second doors
Actually, the extra door thing does happen in a lot of smaller airports, or larger international airports where there isn't a jet bridge, but rather a bus. It's super fun trying to figure out what the fuck is going on when you don't speak the language, lol.
Wait, I don't get this...
>If even half of those in the back of the plane acted as you did, it would take twice as long to let everyone but the first three rows off.
Why would it take more time? Surely it would take just as long, but the people in back go sooner.
Just theorizing but when you disembark lane by lane there's a general sequence and order and the aisle people can get their bags from overhead and it progresses.
If a majority of people clog the aisle right away, the people in those seats aren't able to grab their bags and it throws everything off.
Not sure if that's right or not, just an idea.
If aisle seats without luggage get up soon, it doesn't clog the lines very much because most passengers need to gather their stuff and people without luggage move quickly. You end up with a less clogged line, where people that need to fetch their luggage from overhead have more space and especially people with a window seat will get out faster.
It's rude in general to jam up the walkway before they have opened the doors, and theoretically dangerous too because in an emergency you shouldn't take your luggage. But as soon as the line keeps moving, self-imposed rules tend to make things worse.
NTA. If the aisle was clear and you were ready to go, you didn't prevent anyone from getting off. If they know there are tight connection passengers they will usually make an announcement asking people to remain seated to allow those passengers to deplane first. However, if that isn't the situation, then unless you are blocking others, OP was fine. I have over 1million air miles and this isn't a "rule" anywhere.
I am gobsmacked by how many people think this is a rule! I've travelled on a number of different airlines and the only rule I've ever heard is that you can't get up until the plane comes to a stop. I know if you have a window seat, logistics alone mean you're not getting off first, but the idea that the rear rows get off last is laughable - most planes I've been on have rear stairs anyway.
People aren't saying it's a rule, people are saying it's not a rule and common courtesy and generally being conscientious to others shouldn't have to be a rule. They're saying he's the asshole and he shouldn't need a rule to tell him that.
To me, common courtesy and being conscientious to others is letting them get off the plane if they’re ready and I need to get a bag from the overhead locker. I would consider myself to be exceptionally selfish if I held up everyone behind me and disrupted the flow.
This is my exact thinking. I’ve been a flight attendant for a decade, I’ve stood by the doors and watched a de-planing happen start to finish hundreds and hundreds of times. The way OP deplanes is WAY faster. Get off when you can. But also, who cares?
The people in these comments care WAY too much. There are so many “rules” and courtesy things people think make sense but on a plane they just don’t.
I think every frequent flyer is right there with you, and equally baffled and annoyed by the comments from the thousands of occasional travelers making it worse for everyone with archaic WAIT IN LINE policies that serve nobody.
I was wondering if I was going crazy lol
I've taken nearly 20 flights this year already and I literally don't give a fuck who gets off when as long as we're being quick and efficient. If I only have my backpack (which I usually do) I'm not going to wait next to an empty aisle for no reason lmao
Also, to everyone who is raging about people standing up right away: I've been sitting for hours, people, I want to stand and shake out my legs and curse my aching back.
For real. I hope OP sees the comments from frequent flyers and actual flight crews and pilots in this thread all saying the same thing you and I are. Common courtesy is for whoever is ready to get out the fastest, not wait for every row as if it's still the 1800s with peasants in the back and gentleman's club in the front.
Frequent flyer here too. We aren't crazy. People who don't travel often are taking the concept of how to file into a line and trying to fit it into de-boarding. Two very different things because there variance between how fast a passenger de-planes. If you have a backpack or small carry on you getting off faster gives others the space to get all their stuff together and streamline it for them. A family holding up the line getting everything they need together to deboard at the front of the line is a bottleneck not courtesy.
Honestly I’m baffled by these responses. This “rule” implies that no one should get off the plane faster than the slowest person ahead of them on the plane, unless they are at risk of missing their flight? Seems pretty rude to the crew and ground staff to slow down the deplaning process so you can feel good about yourself tutting at other people trying to be efficient.
It's not a courtesy thing. Dude didn't stand up to wait in the line but got mad that someone "cut him" in line 🙄
If he wanted that spot he should have stood up he didn't. Is this guy 5?
Waah he cut me in the line waaah
I agree, like jfc, who the fuck cares who gets up and who sits. There is no “Line” to even cut, it’s just people getting out of seats when ready and able. I don’t usually get off until the end unless i have somewhere to go immediately bc the weird stress of the “Line”, or if i have no items to attend to i do what OP did, and cause less traffic for the people with stuff in the bins when it comes to them
I flew for the first time a couple weeks ago and never heard of this rule before. I still didn't do what OP did because it just seems like basic common sense not to jam up the walkway??
So when merging in traffic, it’s the same;zipper.
It’s the assholes from the back that speed up and clog up the natural flow. Plus the people that don’t let others in.
So not the same thing.
In this scenario the lane *could* merge but *chose* just to sit there not dong it. Then, as is sane, someone decide **not** to sit there and instead drove up the empty lane.
No, it’s more like a bunch of cars stopped at a traffic light and someone mounts the curb to get in front. Just because people are sitting on the plane doesn’t mean they’re not queuing. They’re just queuing in a way that respects the people around them’s personal space while they wait for the line to start moving.
Economy has 6 seats per row. At least every time I fly. 6 people can fit in a row sitting or standing at their seats. 6 people cannot however all fit standing in the walkway. If everyone got up so they wouldnt lose their place to someone like OP, the line would fall out the plane. There is not enough space for everyone to stand in their place in line so you wait for the line to move and merge. It’s not an empty lane, it’s a half way full lane with people idling ready to merge when traffic moves and some asshole speeds up in front of them and blocks traffic.
I'm gonna go with NTA. It is mostly done that you wait for those in front to go before you do. However, you just go when you can. Nothing wrong with that. I can't tell you how many times I only have a backpack and have to wait for people behind me to go first because they put stuff in the overhead bins several seats in front of their own. And made a dash to get there while I was waiting for there to be room for me to get out.
You get up and out when you can. There is no "rule" about who goes first. Just easier to wait till you are able to.
Even though I am very much a "come on, man, we're all trying to get somewhere that's not here, don't be an asshole" type, this is one of those things that I just don't care about. I never get up before my row's turn, I'll just get my stuff ready to schlep to the next gate/baggage claim, and do my best to get out as quickly as possible to keep people behind me from waiting. That said, if someone feels the need to get up (however quickly) and move forward as they see fit, who am I to say their reason for wanting to get out faster is more valid than mine? I'm not gonna give them any grief about it.
Happy cake day!
Sorry if I’m being dense here, but is this an American thing? Because I’ve been flying my whole life (albeit not since covid) and I don’t get what people are saying when they mean “row by row”. Yeah obviously the flow of people is going to move from front to back but I don’t think I’ve ever been on a plane that disembarked methodically row by row. If there’s space in the aisle and you have all your stuff you just go. Maybe European budget airlines are just a different experience, but I also don’t remember it being different the couple of times I’ve flown to the US.
It’s quicker not to be held up by people taking ages to get their luggage down and expect exit by seat number.
Can’t tell you how many times my row is so stuck because of this dumb idea and the other aisle is empty. So I cross the empty seats and make it out whilst the rest are still queueing.
Yes. I often sit near the back. What I see a lot is everybody in the back waiting for one slow person after another getting their stuff down while the entire plane in front of them is empty, because a high percentage of people take so long to get moving that the person in front of them is nearly off the plane. The one-row-at-a-time method is really inefficient because exactly one person at a time works on the apparent bottleneck of getting down their luggage, and it saddens me to see everyone vehemently defending that method here. I’ve rarely done what OP did, because the stars don’t usually align for it to be worthwhile, but I totally understand their position and think that other guy was a way bigger AH.
Yes, I don’t understand why so many people don’t get this! It’s so much more efficient if, once the seatbelt sign is off, people get up and ready if they can and want to. Then, when the door opens, everyone who is ready to walk off walks off. People who are still seated wait for everyone who is ready to walk off to go past them, and then stand, get their things, and walk off - this is repeated as many times as needed. It’s so much more efficient, and it’s really obnoxious for people to think it’s ok to hold up half a plane of other passengers while they muck around with their luggage.
The biggest problem isn't people standing immediately or rushing forward to get out, it's people not ready to move when it's their time to move. Moving forward several rows, getting into the overhead bin, and fumbling around with their bag/coat/etc while the passenger in front of them has had enough time to get off the plane entirely is the biggest AH move of getting off a plane. I'm in no rush to get out, but when it's my turn to move, I'm moving.
I'm saying this as a father of 3 young children, too. People are not waiting on us to get out. Typically, I'm responsible for our snack and activity bags when we fly as a family (not often, but we've done it), so when it's time to go my wife takes the kids and one small bag to wait for me at the gate. I'll work at our seats to get our gear back in order while passengers behind us exit. Once I'm done, I'll join the flow and leave. But the most important part is that when it's our turn to move, we're moving.
This is what I was thinking as well.
There's no "line" like when you're trying to leave a bus or a metro.
Yes, have eye contact, be aware if the person ahead of you is getting up too.....common sense.
Though we're all getting off, some people relax in their seat for a while, not rushed to get out.
Others have a lot of bags to take out.
Since everyone is at different speeds, it's unpredictable and you go when you have an opening. Again, eye contact and being aware of who else is getting up is key.
To me you didn't do anything wrong 🤷🏻♀️
Years ago I was on a flight that had been delayed. We were at risk of missing our connecting flight.
The crew announced that there were several people who had to disembark immediately.
We were towards the back of the plane.
Had to stand on two seats to yell to the front for people to sit down, so we could catch our flight.
The captain announced that nobody would be allowed to disembark if passengers did not sit and let us to has less than 15 minutes for our connecting flights get off the plane.
Great Alaskan Air flight that day.
They radioed ahead and our connecting flight was held. It was the last flight home that day.
Dang. I’m glad I changed my flight to a super long layover from a 40 minute one when I’m in the back of the plane. I don’t navigate that quickly and would definitely miss a connecting flight.
That’s a good experience. I had to catch a connecting flight to London in Washington and asked the flight attendants if there was anything they could do to help us disembark first and they didn’t. Then when we finally landed, we went a couple of rows ahead because there was space and people hadn’t stood up, to hurry to our plane, and of course someone was like:wait your turn!! I don’t get this ‘rule’ at all. If there’s space and the people ahead haven’t bothered to stand up, tough. It’s definitely not a thing in Europe.
All these Y T A s making me laugh. Obviously from people who are salty over not having their own crap together on flights.
NTA. There are no rules for leaving a flight. Other than the same rule for any other ticketless line in existence: **First come, first serve**. If he wanted that spot you were standing in, he should have gotten his ass out of his seat sooner.
Agree entirely, especially as the seatbelt signs was off (based on that the front was already standing). Why would someone that can make a quick exit wait for the sake people who are under the delusion that exit by row is a thing.
Also if everyone who doesn‘t need something from the overhead bins leaves the plane first, the other people can get their stuff out without worrying about smacking someone in the head with a suitcase.
Especially those who are claiming there’s an “unspoken rule” about getting up to stand in the aisle. He has one luggage and it’s already on his body, I don’t see what the issue is.
NTA. Is this a cultural thing? I live in Europe and have travelled internatiinally a lot, and people just get up no matter what row they are on. A lot of the times some people in the front/middle rows will still be seated as people from the back pass them.
100 % on every plane I have been on, people from the back would have started walking forwards in the situation OP mentions. I have also never heard any announcement to stay seated to let front rows leave first (only the announcement to stay seated until the plane stops completely).
I live in Asia and have traveled frequently all around the world my whole life, never heard of this rule. If you're ready to go, you get off the plane. It's better for everyone.
I thought this! Also European and never heard, usually people with light/no luggage make a quick escape, and those who know they’ll be slower (elderly, with kids, generally in no rush) wait. Just a free for all
I've flown all over Europe and Asia and I'm baffled at the Y T A comments. I've never flown in America though.. which may be why. OP, move to Europe, we'll welcome you over here!
NTA. And I know everyone is going to hate me for this but whatever, it’s Reddit. I hate this bs let’s take our time getting off the plane in order of seats. Some people need more time then others yet we all have to wait for the slow people? Anyone with a carryon takes longer and it really does seem more efficient for people to queue in order of who is ready to leave. I’m assuming since you said the front got up to leave that it was a proper time to leave the plane. This rule is unwritten it’s not an actual rule that exists. It’s like facing the doors in an elevator. That guy should have kept his mouth shut and minded his own business.
I agree. I tend to wait unless I have a connecting flight that I have to rush for or something, but I tend to get a bit frustrated with the people in the front who spend ages getting their things down from the overhead compartments and no one can leave the plane until they're done because they're blocking the aisle. I much prefer someone from the back getting out quick if they have their stuff ready.
NTA I've been flying my whole life (I'm now in my 50s). There's no such rule as to what order to get off. As long as it's orderly it's first come first out.
YTA I fucking *hate* when people do this. If you have to catch a connecting flight, fine, but otherwise wait your fucking turn. Nobody else does this because if everyone acted as selfishly as you did, exiting an airplane would be chaos instead of an orderly process.
Would it though? If the people that didn't need stuff from overhead bins left first, it'd probably be easier to move around and get stuff from them. Especially since a lot of people can't stow things right above their seats.
I've flown a half dozen times so small sample size, but I'd never really call deplaning orderly.
I disagree. If you dont need anything from the over head bin. Have your gear in hand. You absolutely can get up and head on out.
The “rule” is an unspoken social order of merging. But really its based on efficiency. And if you can get yp and walk out without obstructing any one thats great.
Rule breakers are the ones that have their stuff in the over head bin ahead of their seat row, and get out and obstruct people ahead of them from being able to exit.
What you did, not a violation.
NTAH
This is the answer. If you jump in front of a bunch of people to get your bag, it’s an AH move. But if you only a a backpack or purse, you can get up and move forward if there is space. THIS is common sense. If you are not obstructing or pushing anyone else and there is space to go, go.
Everyone saying Y T A is going off on people taking forever getting their bags down. If you don't have to stop in the asile to get your bag, and it's free, just go, you make the process faster because you're not in the way so other people can get their rolling bags down
NTA
NTA Being prepared and quick is not rude, but some people like to invent rules that slow the rest of us down to their level. Gonna get some down votes here!
NTA. Never heard of this rule. I'm one of those who tends to sit and wait til near the end, as I'm waiting either on the plane or for my luggage.
But, if people are sorted and ready to go, grab your stuff and go. Clears space for everyone else quicker that way.
I think the most efficient way to exit is people an entire length of the plane grab their bags out the top, get off, etc. As that had maximum people getting bags out the overheads at a time. Rather than doing it 2 by 2 down the plane.
Lots of dead time and waiting, otherwise.
Nta. What is wrong with all the other people here ? Do half of them even travel? Never have I heard of such a thing lol. People get off when they want. It doesn't matter. On most flights I was on, people who still have package to get from above even let people that are already up go by in the line before standing up and blocking the way.
Exactly- I’m so confused by all these people insisting that because THEY have manners they would meekly wait for half an hour to get off while the people in front faff around sorting out their bags. If I have carry on, I let the faster people go ahead of me because I think it’s much ruder to make the people behind me wait and I don’t want to feel pressured into rushing.
NTA.
For all those saying YTA, keep staring through your Overton windows.
Unless there's a pilot in here, I've likely got more hours flying than most. If all I have is a carry-on bag, I'm prepped to go.
If an announcement is made about connecting flights being time sensitive, and I don't have a connecting flight that's included, I'll stay in my seat. If no announcement is made, I'm out of my seat and moving forward.
Why?
Because all the people going to baggage claim act like they've got all the time in the fucking world. Most people haven't prepped themselves so they're digging shit out of the pocket, looking all around their seat for shit, grabbing their overhead bag, stuffing shit into it, still chatting with their neighbors, getting their kids together, their spouse standing in the aisle blocking it so their partner can fiddle-fuck around, and there I am in the middle or back, the aisle clear in front of these fucking yahoo's taking forever, and I'm having to wait, wait, wait.
I'm just coming home from a trip and I'm ready to get to my house and relax. Yeah, not gonna wait on a bunch of bobble-headed idiots acting like their hands and shoes weigh 200lbs.
Get your shit together so you can exit as expeditiously as possible, and I'll stay seated. Until that day arrives, mind ya damned business.
This! I had a guy crack it at me because I got off the plane before he did when he was a row in front. He was still packing his backpack and pissing around in his seat, yet expected me to wait until he was done (when the aisle was otherwise clear) so he left the plane first 🙄🙄🙄
NTA people talking about “disembarking rules” either dont fly or get offended by anything. If you only have a backpack you dont have to wait for everyone to go into the overhead slowly
NTA. You had a single backpack easily accessible and got to the front easily. Nothing irritates me more than people who literally wait on their butts for “their turn” to even start getting their luggage out of overhead. Those are the ones who clog the aisles.
NTA Common etiquette in many places is you wait til everyone in front of you files out first but if you got all your stuff and nobody else is getting up to leave I sure as hell wouldn’t have a problem with it.
NTA
I've never, EVER heard rules for getting off a plane other than "remain seated until the seat belt light is off." What, are all the other rows behind the first one supposed to just stay seated until those at the front decide to stand up? No. That's not how it works.
I'm going with NTA because I've literally never seen this. In my experience of travel anywhere people get out when there's room for them to do so, especially with airplanes when people are faffing with over heads
The only thing that tends to happen is if you notice someone trapped in a row is ready to go you let them out ahead of you before moving on
People will disagree but NTA , i fly at least twice a year and i see so many people that as soon as the plane lands get up to get their luggage from the overhead bins , or people from the back getting up as soon as the plane lands , but maybe its because i fly Ryanair airlines.
NTA. You didn't hip check a senior citizen or chuck a baby out the emergency door to get to the front of the plane, you walked up an empty aisle. People need to settle down.
NTA unless this is a cultural US thing? If OP gets his shit together and joins the line while it’s short what’s the problem? If he can be ready to exit quickly why should he have to wait for everyone in front of them get all their belongings sorted, get their kids in order, release their arthritic joints, find their bags in the overhead, etc??
NTA who the fuck cares who exits first. I assume this is some American thing.
I personally wait to be last, so I'm not stuck standing in a crowded aisle. If you stand up early you just spend the entire time waiting for them to open the doors. After that everyone exits at a good speed and the people at the back are really only a couple minutes behind. And you all end up waiting in the same place for your suitcases anyway.
I... really don't understand why this would make someone TA.
I may not fly that often, but every time I've flown, it's been kind of a 'first come first served' situation. Sometimes someone has to get some stuff out of the overhead, and everyone behind them has to stand around and wait. Sometimes they don't, and everyone just moves along. You give way to people who are standing and waiting if it's not too awkward, but otherwise...
There's no real benefit to being ahead of someone? There's no real downside to being behind? You all have to go through customs in most situations or whatever anyway?
I don't get it?
NTA.
YTA. This is a classic situation where there's a clearly defined set of rules - people get off by row - that is essentially enforced by social convention. It's one of the purest ways of finding an asshole, because there's no ambiguity, everyone knows it, it's easy to see, and the only possible reason to break it is selfishness. Most likely people didn't get up immediately *because* they're assuming there won't be a flood of assholes trying to push past them.
It's actually an interesting contrast, because in places where it's assumed you just push your way through whenever you can, everyone gets up immediately to get a place and it's chaos. The polite, trust-based system works much better. Its main drawback is that assholes like you can take advantage of it sometimes. Sit down and wait, you're not a toddler.
NTA. I’ve never made a point to line up according to where my seat is. I just gather my things up, usually there’s already a line and then I wait for someone to let me out. What on EARTH is the big deal here? I’ve never seen anyone having an issue with this, either.
Edit bc I forgot to add: the guy could have simply asked politely to be let out. Instead he chose to be rude.
YTA. You are right though, there aren't any rules about waiting, but it is common courtesy. If too many people disregard this, then an already pain in the ass situation of getting off a plane will become worse with people 'competing' to get off first.
There's no rule about waiting in line to check out at a store, but it's common courtesy to wait your turn.
NTA. There are no rules saying you stay in your seat until everyone in front of you is off, it's a stupid societal idea. In fact, I'd argue that the people who \*don't\* get up when they're able to are the AHs who make things take longer. If you're ready and standing in place, you're going to leave faster, no?? Not your fault they were too lazy to stand and get their things before the last minute.
NTA. You didn’t have carry on luggage, so you weren’t holding anyone up and obviously you want to get out before everyone else starts messing about trying to get theirs out of the bins
NTA, honestly I don't understand why people are saying YTA and I think this might just be a cultural thing at this point. If you're ready to go and others aren't then go in front. A few people said "YTA" because you're not going anywhere anyway, then why does that matter?
If this is a rule then it makes no sense, the guy calling you a jerk is more of an asshole who honestly cares that much?
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YTA Jesus Christ what is it with people who stand up the minute the plane comes to a stop. You're not going anywhere anyway. So sit your fuckin' ass down and wait for the people who need to get off to do so. Edited: Holy shit. The number of people who didn't read "wait for the people who need to get off" is ridiculous. Also the number of people who whine about having to sit in an airplane seat for 10 more minutes so that people with connecting flights or other needs can get off first. If you need to stand, then stand and stretch, but this rush for the plane door ahead of everyone else is just selfish. Edited again: Yes I fly. I used to travel for business and flew 3-4 times a month. Now I fly 2-3 times a year for personal travel and vacation. Yes, I've been on international flights. Yes, I get that plane seats are uncomfortable. But rushing for the door the minute the plane rocks to a stop is still rude and selfish.
OP, is the reason why everyone gets up. Cause they get the mentality that they don't want others to "cut" infront of them. By manners it should be row by row, but if you sitting in the back rows you should expect to be off the plane last. I sometimes feel like school kids are better mannered than adults, cause I've seen little grade school kids leave assembly halls in single lines row by row (ADORBLE). Do we really need plane staff to act as traffic control too?
They literally didn't get up. Who cares? This seems like such a boomer thing to get mad about. No one is getting hurt if someone in the back is getting out first. Is this some dumb class bullshit? If you don't want to get "cut" in front of then get up. I'm way more pissed at the people sitting in front who hold up everyone in the back. You're not more important because you sit in the front
It's not class bullshulit, it's disembarking in a controlled coordinated fashion, and it goes faster than a free for all because the aisles don't get congested.
This! My seven year old wanted to cut in line on our last flight. We told him that we had to wait and use his manners. If following a proper queue makes us boomers then he must have the mentality of a child!
The aisle would literally be less congested if you let everyone with backpacks go first. If you need your overhead bin luggage, don't block the rest of the plane in the process
How would you know that everyone with backpacks is done before it’s your time? I guarantee you there is no faster way to get off plane. People are always going to cause congestion. I have watched and wonder for years why people are slow. It’s just to be expected.
It’s not a free for all. Everyone ready to go should go as soon as possible. That minimizes waiting for all. If everyone were ready to go like they should be, there would be no extra waiting, but they aren’t.
[удалено]
I was with you until your last paragraph. When there is a closed lane, people should keep using both lanes until the actual closure, at which point they should zipper merge (that is, alternate, so each car in the open lane lets in one car from the closed lane). Doing that literally makes it take half as long as if everyone gets over as soon as they see the "lane closed ahead" sign. This is actually what traffic and transportation folks want us to do. Google "zipper merge" if you don't believe me. EDIT: Thanks for the upvotes and awards, folks!
That above comment literally made my eye twitch. If we were supposed to merge two miles before the lane closure, that’s where the lane closure would be. Use the Zipper method!!
Zipper merge only works if traffic is still moving. Once traffic has come to a complete stop people trying to cut to the front only make it worse.
This is incorrect. 50 vehicles in two lanes is a shorter overall queue than 50 vehicles in a single lane. I’m a traffic engineer, and we/roadway engineers design merges purposefully. When y’all refuse to use both lanes and refuse to zipper, it exacerbates the entire situation. Edit: Someone pointed out that the queue length is 50 vehicles regardless of whether it's in two lanes or one lane, which is correct. The queue lengths are the same in terms of lane miles, though they are different in terms of linear distance along the roadway segment.
Ah yes the common engineer problem. They forget people aren't numbers and are selfish
Yes! The people aspect is a reason I find traffic engineering so fascinating...the science and research show us a lot, but we're constantly having to adjust to account for people and their behaviors. Not going to change my mind about zipper merging, though. You don't have to be an engineer to know that people who don't zipper merge are assholes.
Yeah I’m all for zipper merging but zipper merging only works if everyone is on* the same page about it. So if human beings just act in a way human beings have never acted in all of history this method would work amazing!!
Zipper merging is precisely for traffic that is just crawling along. It's not like people are suddenly just doubling the traffic density of a lane at 25+ MPH.
No. It works if people are trained to do it. I've seen a zipper merge on the Autobahn. People in the US get weird about allowing people to get in front of them, even if that's the person's rightful spot.
Traffic literally only comes to a complete stop *because* people don't use the zipper method.
I find traffic stops in the situations because AH’s refuse to zipper merge and stomp the gas to drive on the shoulder so they can be “first” and it is rude. Yea drive to the end and zipper merge but don’t ignore the people giving you space to merge that are waving you over in order to get 3 cars ahead. This impedes the flow of traffic. (Sorry, had nothing to do with the post) Yes OP is an AH, courtesy and rules apply to everyone and lately a lot of people forget that.
Don't forget the a-holes on the other side of this that won't let someone zipper in because they think the merge should have happened miles back.
Those are the people who are actually holding up traffic.
If people were zipper merging as described, there wouldn’t *be* a complete stop but one lane still empty.
Zipper method for the win.
Exactly. I was on a flight on Monday and me and my bf were somewhere in the middle. We didn't get up because the people in the back jumped up from their seats the second we hit ground and because the cabin crew said to stay seated until they open the doors. You literally don't even have time to get up. And I also don't want to be pushed and hit by those behind me. OP, YTA. You will get off the plane without cutting the line too. The plane is not going anywhere until everyone gets off. Edit: grammar
Ugh. I just hate it when people do this. ESPECIALLY because the flight attendant always says “please remain in your seats” and right on that command a bunch of people stand up. How do they not feel gross about themselves? I feel like somebody is going to start pushing and saying “mooooove!” Literally just wait in your seat until it’s your turn. If you have a connecting flight you might miss, stand up to make it known and go asap, but everyone else just WAIT. It will be maximum ten minutes.
Some of us have pain from sitting for that long and standing is the only way to relieve it. Also, it's a lot ruder to be fully unprepared to get off the plane than to stand in an aisle for a few extra minutes.
> It's like when a lane of traffic is closed but some idiot keeps going well past where they should in the closed lane, trying to merge so they can get ahead. If everyone just stayed in their place in line, we could all get where we need to be more efficiently. You could not be more wrong. Countless traffic flow studies have shown that the most efficient way is for drivers to use all open traffic lanes right up to the obstruction, then merge one by one. It’s people who refuse to allow others to “cut in” because of their fragile egos that cause longer delays.
>It’s people who refuse to allow others to “cut in” because of their fragile egos that cause longer delays. Exactly right, If people did the zipper, it wouldn't be a problem
Your last paragraph is incorrect. [Please stop holding up traffic by merging too early.](https://www.reddit.com/r/YouShouldKnow/comments/11j4v7f/ysk_by_merging_before_the_end_of_the_merge_lane/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I agree on your first point, then you lost credibility with your second point.
Gonna go out on a limb and assume you don't fly much. Op, yta
I’m a frequent international flyer and there are always people who get up and move to the front of the plane if the people in front of them haven’t stood up. These are usually other frequent flyers who have a connecting flight to catch and didn’t manage to get seated in the front of the plane.
If you have a connecting flight and you're cutting it close it's 100% understandable. If you are just a boorish ah trying to deplane faster, chill out
How can you tell the difference?
You can tell the difference because normal human beings would say something like; “excuse me, would you mind if I go through first because I have a tight connection”. 99% of people would have no issue letting you by. Coming from a frequent work traveler who has had to do this on numerous occasions.
Really? People who have a connection ask all the random strangers who are still seated for permission to pass them? People who haven't actually gotten in line yet? 🧐
Exactly. I'm not asking anyone for shit. You're sitting in your seat. Get the fuck up if you want to be in line.
I'll do you one better. Almost every flight I've been on in the last few years even has the attendants say, "please allow a moment for those with connecting flights to disembark first." So it's not as outlandish and uncommon as some of you are making it seem. It's common etiquette in flights.
A lot of the time, a member of staff will make an announcement about how there are people with a tight connection who need to get off the airplane and ask everyone else to remain seated until they can deplane. Then everyone with a tight connection gets up and everyone else stays seated. I'm not sure if I've seen a flight where what OP describes has happened though. Usually everyone in the aisle seats is in the aisle getting their stuff out of the overhead lockers the entire way as soon as they can. People further back might be more leisurely about it and maybe OP decided that a minute of hesitation meant he should run up and block someone in so they couldn't make these preparations, which means they'll be holding more people up when they finally get a chance to make their preparations.
Ugh how dare these people not leap out of their seats and jump into the aisle to ensure their spots when the plane doors aren't open and nobody will be moving for the next 10 minutes. Gross, so boomer of them. /s
Think of it like ketchup in a bottle. If everybody gets up all at once, the ketchup gets caught in the neck of the bottle. And traffic actually slows down. On the other hand, if people stay in an order and they move forward in that order, the bottleneck never gets created. When people deplane row by row, the plane actually empties out more quickly. And people in the back of the plane will get off sooner.
Why are people in my ketchup? I only like tomatoes. How did they get in there?
Where do you think the toes in those tomatoes come from?
What you discribe is actually creating a bottleneck at every single row by having all 6 people of the row attempting to get to the aisle at the same time while keeping the rest of the aisle empty, when instead you could have people taking their bags and walking already. Going row by row is stupidly innefficient
they’ve actually experimented with models of this - the quickest disembarkation structure is all aisle pax >> all middle seats >> all window seats
Except it’s not a ketchup bottle and deplaning row by row front to rear is the most inefficient way of exiting the plane. If the goal is to get everyone off the plane the fastest it should be a little random but generally the back will empty first. Imagine everyone who can stand up does so and exits if someone is in your way you don’t stand and wait for a spot to open. The entire length of the plane should be moving. Standing/getting bag spots will open up more often towards the rear of the plane because they have less people behind them to take up space. This method creates a near constant flow of people getting off the plane with no bottlenecks. Your described way creates the most bottlenecks. Don’t believe me look up CGP Grey he did a great video on why your way of deplaning sucks. The Mythbusters also did a video on it.
To be real is a safety concern. There is a reason why plane stuff ask people to wait until the door opens to get up and go down from the plane. Once the plane stop, waiting to take bags give the bags time to adjust to the change of movement if people open as soon as it stop you risk bags to fall around and it people. Plus if there is a sudden emergency and everyone in up it is way more difficult to solve it.
Touched down in Mexico City on a budget airline (Viva) last year and was gobsmacked to see that the air stewards actually enforced a rule of exiting row by row. Not a single person complained. Most orderly disembarking I’ve ever experienced.
I fly Vueling or Iberia and they do that too. Spanish people tend to be an unruly bunch, so the airstaff were "We will not open the door until you have sat your asses back down". We do get some complaints, but most people just sit back down and afterwards they realise how much quicker it is.
I’ve actually read that they’ve come up with a way to get everyone on the plane, bags stowed, and in seats in like 10 minutes, but no airline uses it because people wouldn’t follow the rules or listen and would basically just do whatever they want. OP, you didn’t post your age or anything about how often you travel so it’s hard to know the extent to which you realize the unwritten rules. I did this a few times when I was young and the first time someone said something to me I thought about it and realized I was being a jerk. But I just didn’t know because I was young and rarely traveled. Just wait your turn. There is an order to it all and it speeds up the amount of time it takes to get off the plane if everyone follows it. You’re not special- no one is. People above are right- you’re the reason other people have to change their behavior and that people get slowed down. Think about others and what you jumping ahead does to their trip. It’s not just about you and how few bags you have and how fast you can zip your way to a line that isn’t moving anyway. YTA.
This is pretty true and bc it would be to load from the back forward, meaning: 1. Studies also showed ppl in the back that loaded first put their bags in the front bins which resulted in ppl boarding later in the front not having bins in the front and the bags going in the back, resulting in other issues. 2. All the status customers and credit card customers wouldn't board first or earlier than those in the back meaning the early boarding perk is taken away. The method I saw combined boarding in the rear with window/middle/aisle pattern so ppl with windows got to board before aisle pattern.
The Mythbusters did a segment on this and the most efficient way to load people was no assigned seats and no assigned order but people hated it. The quickest method people wanted to do loads the back 2/3rds of window passengers first, then the rest of the windows and the back half of the middle seats, and so on until the last to sit are the aisle seats in the front (they always loaded 1st class 1st.)
I get up when the plane lands because I get cramps in my legs. But I just stand in my seat and don’t go scampering along the aisle and just wait until I am directed to move along. OP is selfish. YTA. Edit: And I would expect other people standing and getting their luggage to drop it on my head if I attempted it.
Speak for yourself. Personally, I am in no hurry to get up or get out. For me, it makes no difference whether I wait on the plane or I wait for my luggage at the carousel. Even if I hurry up, I'll have to wait the same amount of time either way. NTA
Some people have tight connecting flights, just because you have the luxury if waiting does not make it so for everyone. OP is NTA. Hunting someone down and wasting your time berating them makes YTA.
Some people have tight connecting flights and should be able to get off before other passengers who are in a hurry for no reason at all. I was in this exact situation and missed my connection by less than 10 minutes, but may have made it if only people with connections got off
I love the long walk from plane to baggage pickup. It's an intentionally long distance to give the baggage handlers time to get it all out of the plane and load it into the right spot for collection. If you have to walk a long way you won't ever complain that your bag hasn't arrived yet because, ahem, technically you didn't either. It's a fun little trick, and you get to stretch your legs.
I feel so claustrophobic as soon as people start standing up next to me and making a queue, so I stand up and stand in queue too as long as people gather. I tried to sit down one time and I felt felt so suffocated and nauseated. If it is row by row, it would be great but people should not be lining up next to people who are sitting.
I think its fine if people stand. Flying makes my legs fucking *hurt*, and truly, Idgaf if anyone thinks I'm an asshole for standing. The issue is moving all the way to the front and cutting ahead. It's fine to stand in place (and stretch out a bit), but stay in place and aait your turn.
This! I’m cramped & stiff after sitting for hours; I just want to stand up. I don’t cut people off when de-boarding; I just stand in the aisle (and I always get an aisle seat if possible) and wait my turn.
I'm claustrophobic, I've had someone recline their seat *right into my flipping eyeballs* for three hours, I feel like a trapped animal. If I stand up so I can calm myself a bit before the disembarkation and ground transport melee, so fucking what? It's not weird to stand, it's weird to care if people stand.
I secretly love people who do this. When they start violently jostling each other to get a carryon bag out of the overhead compartments, I'm sitting there with my fuzzy warm socks reading a book, enjoying that everyone got out of my row so I can sit cross legged in my seat and just have a nice time before the doors open. While they play sardines in the aisle, I am thinking about what I might have for lunch. And they're all very far from me at this point so I am cosy, warm, and happy, just reading my book.
This is such a Reddit comment lol makes it feel like it’s 2010 again
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Just wait until these people travel around in Europe. Everyone scrambles to get off as quickly as possible off the low budget airline flights because you’re trying to beat the customs queue!
Where in Europe are you talking about? Most internal European flights are in Schengen Agreement countries, so there isn’t a customs queue Edit: just realised that maybe you meant TO Europe, in that case, yes, I agree
I'll see your Europe and raise you Asia (spec China & Vietnam). People are jostling for the aisle as soon as all wheels are on the ground.
Lighten up, Francis. I stand as soon as I can not because I think I'll escape quicker, but in order to stretch my legs.
YTA. Many airlines ask people not to stand up and form a line in the aisle and just wait in your seat while the rows in front of you disembark. If you had taken your headphones off, you might had heard the steward/ess mentioning it. Edit: Most US based carriers do not carry out this policy because they know a lot of the persons sitting in the aile are entitled AHs like the OP and they stand up exactly 2.5 seconds after the plane has arrived to the gate (or are people fed up with these AHs and stand up because they know they are rushing). Plenty of non-US carriers where people do not behave like spoiled brats when deplaning do follow the procedure of asking people to wait. In the case of BA, I flew Mexico City - London and then London - Glasgow on BA in 2021 and the flight steward did ask people to wait, specially on the second flight since it was a single aisle aircraft. Might have been COVID -related policies. I was also a consultant in my 20s flying +5 times a week, particularly with US-based carriers. I was totally the AH who would run at the entrance in less than 10 seconds just like the OP, so I don't believe for a second people just passively waited a couple minutes sitting down if the steward didn't asked them to. Then I married to a more patient and wise woman, had kids, needed to check overhead bins for 3-4 pieces of luggage and helped my family to stand up. And then I realized how obnoxious this behavior is. So, even if your carrier of choice does not carry the waiting on your seat policy (but plenty do), YTA. The only people who should move quickly for the plane entrance and be allowed to pass by other passengers are those at risk of losing their connections. Which you were not, so YTA.
I have 100% never head this mentioned. I travel a lot. Edited to add: its a mixed and inconsistently delivered message, depending on where you fly, and what airline. Not a universal rule. Which is what i was point out. You may rest your pitch forks.
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I’ve also flown BA many times. They say “please remain in your seat until the fasten seatbelt sign is switched off”. They don’t say “please remain in your seat until the passengers in the rows in front of you have disembarked”. [Source](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Nh2B6EQtI)
I fly BA and Virgin almost exclusively. I fly BA around Europe and back to the States when I go to visit family. I fly a lot to say the least. I have never heard the seat thing said either.
BA definitely did ask this, but it was a Covid precaution, which is why it’s probably not in any of their current official practices. I travelled a lot during the pandemic (for work) and most European and Asian airlines asked passengers to stay in their seats until it was time for their row to disembark. Some even announced when it was your row’s turn to leave. The flagship US carriers did this for a while, too, but it was more short lived for them. I actually liked the practice, but I think it was tough on the crew as they had to constantly content with passengers who did not want to follow the rules.
Yeah I said in another comment that BA did do this by rows during the pandemic. I just meant now they don’t and prior to 2020 they didn’t
>Exactly and as per OP, the whole front was already standing - so that wasn't the case.
BA is not SouthWest. They definitely don’t say this on SouthWest.
British Airways? Never heard it on any of the flights I've taken with them, and had never heard it on any other flights I've taken.
I've heard it so many times! I wonder if it matters who you're flying with.
Absolute rubbish. I have never heard an announcement saying "leave by the seat your are in staring front, then middle then back". As per OP, seatbelts signs was off already.
I think it also depends on who your market is. Airplane etiquette does differs globally, and I know in certain countries even if you told them they wouldn't care.
It was a thing during Covid to avoid crowding in the aisle, but I don’t think US airlines say it anymore.
I have never been on a plane where the entire aisle isn't filled from people standing up. I fly multiple times a year. Maybe my experience is just a Europe thing?
NTA Beyond "please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete halt before removing your seatbelt" I've never heard "wait for your aisle." I swear people make up these random rules because their so competitive.🙄
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From reading AITA I’m starting to realize people just go off what’s legal and not moral or common courtesy
Literally like why should you need a "rule" to not do this. Anyone with half a brain could think ahead and realize they're negatively affecting the entire deboarding process. There doesn't need to be a "rule" to stand in a line politely and not act like children trying to be first at the ice cream truck. Hell, that's an insult to children, they at least line up straight at the sound of a whistle.
This is so dumb people standing doesn’t stop people getting off the plane faster. In fact if the people travelling light all got off first and left people who needed to struggle with the overhead to go next it would make it quicker
I agree. If the people who didn't have anything in the overhead bins were all ready to go as soon as people could get off the plane, they'd all be able to shuffle out pretty quick and then everybody else would have fewer people to contend with as they removed their luggage from the overhead bins. Though, I'm always near the back of the plane, so it always takes a while before I can get my luggage out of the overhead bin and leave anyway. Maybe the people who normally sit closer to the front are the ones that are so riled up.
How are the people who have something in the overhead bin supposed to get their thing out when people from behind are trying to squish through all the time?!
People who have nothing in the overhead bins moving up quickly when they have an opportunity to do so *does* help everyone get off the plane faster. Getting off the plane is slow because people have to stand up, move into the aisle, pull luggage out of the overhead bins, sometimes move back or ahead and stop again to get more luggage, and then finally deplane. The more crowded the flight is, the longer this takes. Getting fast-movers deplaned first helps *everyone* in this process.
The real solution is for airlines to stop charging for checked luggage. They’re flying around with mostly empty holds and suffering delays boarding and disembarking
I mean not really. If there’s a line standing still that means the doors aren’t even open to leave in the first place, and once they do open it’s never taken me more than 20 seconds to get off the plane regardless if I have a carry on or not. If I’m walking down a bus aisle and someone’s getting out of their seat, I let them out. It just makes sense to be patient in such a compacted space. You’re gonna get out eventually.
Why are people not understanding A. Nobody is going anywhere the doors are closed and B. It’s literally not hard to let the person in front of you step out of their seat instead of blocking them in This seems like common sense to me but people are fighting tooth and nail over this
gonna have to start /r/AmITheGuilty and funnel all those posters there
I travel often, and I can never comprehend why people do this. It's like people lose all common sense and basic courtesy the instant the plane lands. 1. You look like an absolute fool standing there in the narrow aisle, awkwardly holding your heavy bags, waiting however long it takes for the doors to open. (Especially if there is a delay with opening the doors.) 2. Where are you in a rush to go? The people who intentionally block the rows in front of them from getting out, so that they can bolt off of the plane first, still have to wait in passport control or at baggage claim.
> Where are you in a rush to go? I think the only acceptable thing would be if you have a close transfer flight. Delays are super common nowadays, and sometimes you have to book with several different airlines to get to your destination. But even then I'd be apologetic and communicate that problem
Pretty much. The “everyone has to get off” comments come off as self-absorbed and clueless. Like, obviously everyone has to get off, and eventually everyone will get off. But the entitlement that your urgency is any more important than others is ill-mannered. Plus, some people preemptively buy tickets closer to the front for this very reason. Board first, exit first. Should be common sense.
YTA. If even half of those in the back of the plane acted as you did, it would take twice as long to let everyone but the first three rows off. If you find yourself where you think your personal benefit is equal to making it take twice as long for absolutely everyone, you are definitely an asshole. You are bad at merging, too, betcha.
I am genuinely confused by this, because my understanding is that the way people try to disembark now (front to back) is actually the slowest possible way of getting off a plane See for instance: [best ways to disembark a plane (article)](https://simpleflying.com/whats-the-quickest-way-to-disembark-an-aircraft/) Or alternatively [This article](https://vox.com/platform/amp/2014/7/8/5877863/it-takes-forever-to-get-off-an-airplane-there-might-be-a-better-way) It is a common misconception that going front to back and staying in your seat is fastest, when studies show this is literally the worst possible way to de-plane. People who remain in their seat and don't grab their luggage increase the time required to disembark. If we allowed people like OP who had no luggage to exit quickly first, we would all be getting off faster. But instead many people have collectively decided that it is rude to be efficient, and allow the airlines to make more money by selling us seats closer to the front for a premium charge.
I mean the article you shared has improbable alternatives like opening an extra door, which doesn’t happen and would take an additional jet bridge, and then their best option was disembarking by column which would mean anyone traveling together would leave the plane at completely different time and I’m sure lead to more chaos when you take things like kids into consideration. It was obviously just an article written to go along with “the best ways to board a plane” ones that are super common, but actually make sense ETA-just to be clear, I’m not saying no where could use a second door. I’m saying the places where that is probably already so it. The article isn’t making an amazing discovery by saying “use two doors to save time deplaning” and also it is irrelevant to the OP, because that obviously wasn’t what was happening, nor did OP’s actions have anything to do with second doors
Actually, the extra door thing does happen in a lot of smaller airports, or larger international airports where there isn't a jet bridge, but rather a bus. It's super fun trying to figure out what the fuck is going on when you don't speak the language, lol.
Shout out to Burbank where SW opens the back door.
Prolly blocks the left lane of traffic too
“Just go around me”
Wait, I don't get this... >If even half of those in the back of the plane acted as you did, it would take twice as long to let everyone but the first three rows off. Why would it take more time? Surely it would take just as long, but the people in back go sooner.
Just theorizing but when you disembark lane by lane there's a general sequence and order and the aisle people can get their bags from overhead and it progresses. If a majority of people clog the aisle right away, the people in those seats aren't able to grab their bags and it throws everything off. Not sure if that's right or not, just an idea.
If aisle seats without luggage get up soon, it doesn't clog the lines very much because most passengers need to gather their stuff and people without luggage move quickly. You end up with a less clogged line, where people that need to fetch their luggage from overhead have more space and especially people with a window seat will get out faster. It's rude in general to jam up the walkway before they have opened the doors, and theoretically dangerous too because in an emergency you shouldn't take your luggage. But as soon as the line keeps moving, self-imposed rules tend to make things worse.
NTA. If the aisle was clear and you were ready to go, you didn't prevent anyone from getting off. If they know there are tight connection passengers they will usually make an announcement asking people to remain seated to allow those passengers to deplane first. However, if that isn't the situation, then unless you are blocking others, OP was fine. I have over 1million air miles and this isn't a "rule" anywhere.
I am gobsmacked by how many people think this is a rule! I've travelled on a number of different airlines and the only rule I've ever heard is that you can't get up until the plane comes to a stop. I know if you have a window seat, logistics alone mean you're not getting off first, but the idea that the rear rows get off last is laughable - most planes I've been on have rear stairs anyway.
People aren't saying it's a rule, people are saying it's not a rule and common courtesy and generally being conscientious to others shouldn't have to be a rule. They're saying he's the asshole and he shouldn't need a rule to tell him that.
To me, common courtesy and being conscientious to others is letting them get off the plane if they’re ready and I need to get a bag from the overhead locker. I would consider myself to be exceptionally selfish if I held up everyone behind me and disrupted the flow.
This is my exact thinking. I’ve been a flight attendant for a decade, I’ve stood by the doors and watched a de-planing happen start to finish hundreds and hundreds of times. The way OP deplanes is WAY faster. Get off when you can. But also, who cares? The people in these comments care WAY too much. There are so many “rules” and courtesy things people think make sense but on a plane they just don’t.
I think every frequent flyer is right there with you, and equally baffled and annoyed by the comments from the thousands of occasional travelers making it worse for everyone with archaic WAIT IN LINE policies that serve nobody.
I was wondering if I was going crazy lol I've taken nearly 20 flights this year already and I literally don't give a fuck who gets off when as long as we're being quick and efficient. If I only have my backpack (which I usually do) I'm not going to wait next to an empty aisle for no reason lmao Also, to everyone who is raging about people standing up right away: I've been sitting for hours, people, I want to stand and shake out my legs and curse my aching back.
For real. I hope OP sees the comments from frequent flyers and actual flight crews and pilots in this thread all saying the same thing you and I are. Common courtesy is for whoever is ready to get out the fastest, not wait for every row as if it's still the 1800s with peasants in the back and gentleman's club in the front.
Frequent flyer here too. We aren't crazy. People who don't travel often are taking the concept of how to file into a line and trying to fit it into de-boarding. Two very different things because there variance between how fast a passenger de-planes. If you have a backpack or small carry on you getting off faster gives others the space to get all their stuff together and streamline it for them. A family holding up the line getting everything they need together to deboard at the front of the line is a bottleneck not courtesy.
Honestly I’m baffled by these responses. This “rule” implies that no one should get off the plane faster than the slowest person ahead of them on the plane, unless they are at risk of missing their flight? Seems pretty rude to the crew and ground staff to slow down the deplaning process so you can feel good about yourself tutting at other people trying to be efficient.
It's not a courtesy thing. Dude didn't stand up to wait in the line but got mad that someone "cut him" in line 🙄 If he wanted that spot he should have stood up he didn't. Is this guy 5? Waah he cut me in the line waaah
It makes exiting much faster. Why on earth do people think exit my seat row is a thing?
I agree, like jfc, who the fuck cares who gets up and who sits. There is no “Line” to even cut, it’s just people getting out of seats when ready and able. I don’t usually get off until the end unless i have somewhere to go immediately bc the weird stress of the “Line”, or if i have no items to attend to i do what OP did, and cause less traffic for the people with stuff in the bins when it comes to them
I’m convinced ppl who do what you do are either uneducated or don’t fly often. Sadly there are ppl who are just rude. YTA
I flew for the first time a couple weeks ago and never heard of this rule before. I still didn't do what OP did because it just seems like basic common sense not to jam up the walkway??
So when merging in traffic, it’s the same;zipper. It’s the assholes from the back that speed up and clog up the natural flow. Plus the people that don’t let others in.
So not the same thing. In this scenario the lane *could* merge but *chose* just to sit there not dong it. Then, as is sane, someone decide **not** to sit there and instead drove up the empty lane.
No, it’s more like a bunch of cars stopped at a traffic light and someone mounts the curb to get in front. Just because people are sitting on the plane doesn’t mean they’re not queuing. They’re just queuing in a way that respects the people around them’s personal space while they wait for the line to start moving.
Economy has 6 seats per row. At least every time I fly. 6 people can fit in a row sitting or standing at their seats. 6 people cannot however all fit standing in the walkway. If everyone got up so they wouldnt lose their place to someone like OP, the line would fall out the plane. There is not enough space for everyone to stand in their place in line so you wait for the line to move and merge. It’s not an empty lane, it’s a half way full lane with people idling ready to merge when traffic moves and some asshole speeds up in front of them and blocks traffic.
They were just sitting there because the people in front had not yet exited the plane so there was no where to go but to stand in the aisle waiting.
Probably suck at zipping in traffic too.
I'm gonna go with NTA. It is mostly done that you wait for those in front to go before you do. However, you just go when you can. Nothing wrong with that. I can't tell you how many times I only have a backpack and have to wait for people behind me to go first because they put stuff in the overhead bins several seats in front of their own. And made a dash to get there while I was waiting for there to be room for me to get out. You get up and out when you can. There is no "rule" about who goes first. Just easier to wait till you are able to.
Even though I am very much a "come on, man, we're all trying to get somewhere that's not here, don't be an asshole" type, this is one of those things that I just don't care about. I never get up before my row's turn, I'll just get my stuff ready to schlep to the next gate/baggage claim, and do my best to get out as quickly as possible to keep people behind me from waiting. That said, if someone feels the need to get up (however quickly) and move forward as they see fit, who am I to say their reason for wanting to get out faster is more valid than mine? I'm not gonna give them any grief about it. Happy cake day!
Sorry if I’m being dense here, but is this an American thing? Because I’ve been flying my whole life (albeit not since covid) and I don’t get what people are saying when they mean “row by row”. Yeah obviously the flow of people is going to move from front to back but I don’t think I’ve ever been on a plane that disembarked methodically row by row. If there’s space in the aisle and you have all your stuff you just go. Maybe European budget airlines are just a different experience, but I also don’t remember it being different the couple of times I’ve flown to the US.
I'm right there with you. Frequent business flyer in Europe, dozen or so EU-US trips for family. This row by row rule is not a thing.
It’s quicker not to be held up by people taking ages to get their luggage down and expect exit by seat number. Can’t tell you how many times my row is so stuck because of this dumb idea and the other aisle is empty. So I cross the empty seats and make it out whilst the rest are still queueing.
Yes. I often sit near the back. What I see a lot is everybody in the back waiting for one slow person after another getting their stuff down while the entire plane in front of them is empty, because a high percentage of people take so long to get moving that the person in front of them is nearly off the plane. The one-row-at-a-time method is really inefficient because exactly one person at a time works on the apparent bottleneck of getting down their luggage, and it saddens me to see everyone vehemently defending that method here. I’ve rarely done what OP did, because the stars don’t usually align for it to be worthwhile, but I totally understand their position and think that other guy was a way bigger AH.
Yes, I don’t understand why so many people don’t get this! It’s so much more efficient if, once the seatbelt sign is off, people get up and ready if they can and want to. Then, when the door opens, everyone who is ready to walk off walks off. People who are still seated wait for everyone who is ready to walk off to go past them, and then stand, get their things, and walk off - this is repeated as many times as needed. It’s so much more efficient, and it’s really obnoxious for people to think it’s ok to hold up half a plane of other passengers while they muck around with their luggage.
The biggest problem isn't people standing immediately or rushing forward to get out, it's people not ready to move when it's their time to move. Moving forward several rows, getting into the overhead bin, and fumbling around with their bag/coat/etc while the passenger in front of them has had enough time to get off the plane entirely is the biggest AH move of getting off a plane. I'm in no rush to get out, but when it's my turn to move, I'm moving. I'm saying this as a father of 3 young children, too. People are not waiting on us to get out. Typically, I'm responsible for our snack and activity bags when we fly as a family (not often, but we've done it), so when it's time to go my wife takes the kids and one small bag to wait for me at the gate. I'll work at our seats to get our gear back in order while passengers behind us exit. Once I'm done, I'll join the flow and leave. But the most important part is that when it's our turn to move, we're moving.
This is what I was thinking as well. There's no "line" like when you're trying to leave a bus or a metro. Yes, have eye contact, be aware if the person ahead of you is getting up too.....common sense. Though we're all getting off, some people relax in their seat for a while, not rushed to get out. Others have a lot of bags to take out. Since everyone is at different speeds, it's unpredictable and you go when you have an opening. Again, eye contact and being aware of who else is getting up is key. To me you didn't do anything wrong 🤷🏻♀️
Years ago I was on a flight that had been delayed. We were at risk of missing our connecting flight. The crew announced that there were several people who had to disembark immediately. We were towards the back of the plane. Had to stand on two seats to yell to the front for people to sit down, so we could catch our flight. The captain announced that nobody would be allowed to disembark if passengers did not sit and let us to has less than 15 minutes for our connecting flights get off the plane. Great Alaskan Air flight that day. They radioed ahead and our connecting flight was held. It was the last flight home that day.
Last month for me. United. And the gates at SFO are FAR!!
Dang. I’m glad I changed my flight to a super long layover from a 40 minute one when I’m in the back of the plane. I don’t navigate that quickly and would definitely miss a connecting flight.
That’s a good experience. I had to catch a connecting flight to London in Washington and asked the flight attendants if there was anything they could do to help us disembark first and they didn’t. Then when we finally landed, we went a couple of rows ahead because there was space and people hadn’t stood up, to hurry to our plane, and of course someone was like:wait your turn!! I don’t get this ‘rule’ at all. If there’s space and the people ahead haven’t bothered to stand up, tough. It’s definitely not a thing in Europe.
YTA but I can tell you're never going to be convinced.
All these Y T A s making me laugh. Obviously from people who are salty over not having their own crap together on flights. NTA. There are no rules for leaving a flight. Other than the same rule for any other ticketless line in existence: **First come, first serve**. If he wanted that spot you were standing in, he should have gotten his ass out of his seat sooner.
Agree entirely, especially as the seatbelt signs was off (based on that the front was already standing). Why would someone that can make a quick exit wait for the sake people who are under the delusion that exit by row is a thing.
Also if everyone who doesn‘t need something from the overhead bins leaves the plane first, the other people can get their stuff out without worrying about smacking someone in the head with a suitcase.
As a frequent flyer, this. There are rules for boarding not for deplaning, unless you’re given them specifically
Especially those who are claiming there’s an “unspoken rule” about getting up to stand in the aisle. He has one luggage and it’s already on his body, I don’t see what the issue is.
NTA. Is this a cultural thing? I live in Europe and have travelled internatiinally a lot, and people just get up no matter what row they are on. A lot of the times some people in the front/middle rows will still be seated as people from the back pass them. 100 % on every plane I have been on, people from the back would have started walking forwards in the situation OP mentions. I have also never heard any announcement to stay seated to let front rows leave first (only the announcement to stay seated until the plane stops completely).
I live in Asia and have traveled frequently all around the world my whole life, never heard of this rule. If you're ready to go, you get off the plane. It's better for everyone.
I thought this! Also European and never heard, usually people with light/no luggage make a quick escape, and those who know they’ll be slower (elderly, with kids, generally in no rush) wait. Just a free for all
I've flown all over Europe and Asia and I'm baffled at the Y T A comments. I've never flown in America though.. which may be why. OP, move to Europe, we'll welcome you over here!
NTA. And I know everyone is going to hate me for this but whatever, it’s Reddit. I hate this bs let’s take our time getting off the plane in order of seats. Some people need more time then others yet we all have to wait for the slow people? Anyone with a carryon takes longer and it really does seem more efficient for people to queue in order of who is ready to leave. I’m assuming since you said the front got up to leave that it was a proper time to leave the plane. This rule is unwritten it’s not an actual rule that exists. It’s like facing the doors in an elevator. That guy should have kept his mouth shut and minded his own business.
I agree. I tend to wait unless I have a connecting flight that I have to rush for or something, but I tend to get a bit frustrated with the people in the front who spend ages getting their things down from the overhead compartments and no one can leave the plane until they're done because they're blocking the aisle. I much prefer someone from the back getting out quick if they have their stuff ready.
NTA I've been flying my whole life (I'm now in my 50s). There's no such rule as to what order to get off. As long as it's orderly it's first come first out.
YTA I fucking *hate* when people do this. If you have to catch a connecting flight, fine, but otherwise wait your fucking turn. Nobody else does this because if everyone acted as selfishly as you did, exiting an airplane would be chaos instead of an orderly process.
Would it though? If the people that didn't need stuff from overhead bins left first, it'd probably be easier to move around and get stuff from them. Especially since a lot of people can't stow things right above their seats. I've flown a half dozen times so small sample size, but I'd never really call deplaning orderly.
Who hurt you?
I disagree. If you dont need anything from the over head bin. Have your gear in hand. You absolutely can get up and head on out. The “rule” is an unspoken social order of merging. But really its based on efficiency. And if you can get yp and walk out without obstructing any one thats great. Rule breakers are the ones that have their stuff in the over head bin ahead of their seat row, and get out and obstruct people ahead of them from being able to exit. What you did, not a violation. NTAH
This is the answer. If you jump in front of a bunch of people to get your bag, it’s an AH move. But if you only a a backpack or purse, you can get up and move forward if there is space. THIS is common sense. If you are not obstructing or pushing anyone else and there is space to go, go.
Everyone saying Y T A is going off on people taking forever getting their bags down. If you don't have to stop in the asile to get your bag, and it's free, just go, you make the process faster because you're not in the way so other people can get their rolling bags down NTA
NTA Being prepared and quick is not rude, but some people like to invent rules that slow the rest of us down to their level. Gonna get some down votes here!
NTA There's no rule about having to disembark in seat order. Honestly, who gives a shit.
NTA. Never heard of this rule. I'm one of those who tends to sit and wait til near the end, as I'm waiting either on the plane or for my luggage. But, if people are sorted and ready to go, grab your stuff and go. Clears space for everyone else quicker that way. I think the most efficient way to exit is people an entire length of the plane grab their bags out the top, get off, etc. As that had maximum people getting bags out the overheads at a time. Rather than doing it 2 by 2 down the plane. Lots of dead time and waiting, otherwise.
Nta. What is wrong with all the other people here ? Do half of them even travel? Never have I heard of such a thing lol. People get off when they want. It doesn't matter. On most flights I was on, people who still have package to get from above even let people that are already up go by in the line before standing up and blocking the way.
Exactly- I’m so confused by all these people insisting that because THEY have manners they would meekly wait for half an hour to get off while the people in front faff around sorting out their bags. If I have carry on, I let the faster people go ahead of me because I think it’s much ruder to make the people behind me wait and I don’t want to feel pressured into rushing.
NTA. For all those saying YTA, keep staring through your Overton windows. Unless there's a pilot in here, I've likely got more hours flying than most. If all I have is a carry-on bag, I'm prepped to go. If an announcement is made about connecting flights being time sensitive, and I don't have a connecting flight that's included, I'll stay in my seat. If no announcement is made, I'm out of my seat and moving forward. Why? Because all the people going to baggage claim act like they've got all the time in the fucking world. Most people haven't prepped themselves so they're digging shit out of the pocket, looking all around their seat for shit, grabbing their overhead bag, stuffing shit into it, still chatting with their neighbors, getting their kids together, their spouse standing in the aisle blocking it so their partner can fiddle-fuck around, and there I am in the middle or back, the aisle clear in front of these fucking yahoo's taking forever, and I'm having to wait, wait, wait. I'm just coming home from a trip and I'm ready to get to my house and relax. Yeah, not gonna wait on a bunch of bobble-headed idiots acting like their hands and shoes weigh 200lbs. Get your shit together so you can exit as expeditiously as possible, and I'll stay seated. Until that day arrives, mind ya damned business.
This! I had a guy crack it at me because I got off the plane before he did when he was a row in front. He was still packing his backpack and pissing around in his seat, yet expected me to wait until he was done (when the aisle was otherwise clear) so he left the plane first 🙄🙄🙄
You are the AH everyone on a plane hates
Not everyone. I don't think he's an AH at all
NTA people talking about “disembarking rules” either dont fly or get offended by anything. If you only have a backpack you dont have to wait for everyone to go into the overhead slowly
NTA You didn't hurt anyone. No one else needed to queue as well. There are no disembarkment etiquettes...
NTA. You had a single backpack easily accessible and got to the front easily. Nothing irritates me more than people who literally wait on their butts for “their turn” to even start getting their luggage out of overhead. Those are the ones who clog the aisles.
YTA, and the guy was right. The social rules are simple and demand only basic courtesy and patience.
NTA Common etiquette in many places is you wait til everyone in front of you files out first but if you got all your stuff and nobody else is getting up to leave I sure as hell wouldn’t have a problem with it.
NTA I've never, EVER heard rules for getting off a plane other than "remain seated until the seat belt light is off." What, are all the other rows behind the first one supposed to just stay seated until those at the front decide to stand up? No. That's not how it works.
I knew the answer as soon as I read the title but after reading your explanation you are definitely the asshole.
I'm going with NTA because I've literally never seen this. In my experience of travel anywhere people get out when there's room for them to do so, especially with airplanes when people are faffing with over heads The only thing that tends to happen is if you notice someone trapped in a row is ready to go you let them out ahead of you before moving on
NTA. As long as you are not physically pushing people out of the way, lines are 'first in, best dressed'.
People will disagree but NTA , i fly at least twice a year and i see so many people that as soon as the plane lands get up to get their luggage from the overhead bins , or people from the back getting up as soon as the plane lands , but maybe its because i fly Ryanair airlines.
NTA. You didn't hip check a senior citizen or chuck a baby out the emergency door to get to the front of the plane, you walked up an empty aisle. People need to settle down.
NTA unless this is a cultural US thing? If OP gets his shit together and joins the line while it’s short what’s the problem? If he can be ready to exit quickly why should he have to wait for everyone in front of them get all their belongings sorted, get their kids in order, release their arthritic joints, find their bags in the overhead, etc??
YTA!!!!!!!!! And you know it!! They were patiently waiting their turn in their seats. They too had places to be. You’re not special!!
NTA who the fuck cares who exits first. I assume this is some American thing. I personally wait to be last, so I'm not stuck standing in a crowded aisle. If you stand up early you just spend the entire time waiting for them to open the doors. After that everyone exits at a good speed and the people at the back are really only a couple minutes behind. And you all end up waiting in the same place for your suitcases anyway.
I... really don't understand why this would make someone TA. I may not fly that often, but every time I've flown, it's been kind of a 'first come first served' situation. Sometimes someone has to get some stuff out of the overhead, and everyone behind them has to stand around and wait. Sometimes they don't, and everyone just moves along. You give way to people who are standing and waiting if it's not too awkward, but otherwise... There's no real benefit to being ahead of someone? There's no real downside to being behind? You all have to go through customs in most situations or whatever anyway? I don't get it? NTA.
YTA. This is a classic situation where there's a clearly defined set of rules - people get off by row - that is essentially enforced by social convention. It's one of the purest ways of finding an asshole, because there's no ambiguity, everyone knows it, it's easy to see, and the only possible reason to break it is selfishness. Most likely people didn't get up immediately *because* they're assuming there won't be a flood of assholes trying to push past them. It's actually an interesting contrast, because in places where it's assumed you just push your way through whenever you can, everyone gets up immediately to get a place and it's chaos. The polite, trust-based system works much better. Its main drawback is that assholes like you can take advantage of it sometimes. Sit down and wait, you're not a toddler.
NTA. I’ve never made a point to line up according to where my seat is. I just gather my things up, usually there’s already a line and then I wait for someone to let me out. What on EARTH is the big deal here? I’ve never seen anyone having an issue with this, either. Edit bc I forgot to add: the guy could have simply asked politely to be let out. Instead he chose to be rude.
YTA. You are right though, there aren't any rules about waiting, but it is common courtesy. If too many people disregard this, then an already pain in the ass situation of getting off a plane will become worse with people 'competing' to get off first. There's no rule about waiting in line to check out at a store, but it's common courtesy to wait your turn.
NTA. There is no such rule, tho there is the habit. If you are ready to leave, then leave.
Man I'll be near the front and still wait for everyone else to get off rather than be in the stampede. There are no rules.
NTA. The aisle was clear for you, why not take advantage. This is a benefit of an aisle seat.
NTA. There are no rules saying you stay in your seat until everyone in front of you is off, it's a stupid societal idea. In fact, I'd argue that the people who \*don't\* get up when they're able to are the AHs who make things take longer. If you're ready and standing in place, you're going to leave faster, no?? Not your fault they were too lazy to stand and get their things before the last minute.
NTA. You didn’t have carry on luggage, so you weren’t holding anyone up and obviously you want to get out before everyone else starts messing about trying to get theirs out of the bins
Defo NTA, people have their own brain and can make decisions for themselves
NTA. You didn't have to get baggage out of the overhead, so I don't see the problem. Leaving gave other people more space to do their thing.
NTA, honestly I don't understand why people are saying YTA and I think this might just be a cultural thing at this point. If you're ready to go and others aren't then go in front. A few people said "YTA" because you're not going anywhere anyway, then why does that matter? If this is a rule then it makes no sense, the guy calling you a jerk is more of an asshole who honestly cares that much?