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Manners when exiting a plane: stand at your row or move forward?

Manners when exiting a plane: stand at your row or move forward?

Old May 1, 2016, 5:27 pm
  #16  
 
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When I'm in the aisle, which is usually the case, I stand up immediately upon the "OK" signal. I'm already crowded in my seat and happy to stand, and by standing up I give more space to the middle seat person next to me to gather their belongings. Unfortunately for the folks who want to spring ahead, I wait for the rows in front of me to clear, then follow.

A pet peeve of mine is when I'm traveling with my family (youngest age 16, all able-bodied) and as the second of us exits the row someone behind tries to push ahead. Very rude. I don't want to act like that. So I just wait.
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Old May 1, 2016, 5:59 pm
  #17  
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Originally Posted by jill5172
It drives me nuts when I see people pushing past as people in rows in front of them are still trying to clear.
To respond to several posts that say what the extract above does:

I don't push past people. When the seatbelt light goes off, in the seconds before others get up, I can usually walk up 2 or 3 rows if I'm in coach. I stop immediately when others start pouring into the aisle.

With that info, is what I'm doing THAT bad?

When people stand there (like one guy did on Saturday), with several rows of completely empty space, for a few minutes, I and a few others were literally on top of each other behind him. He squeezed us just so he could allegedly be polite to people in front of him.
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Old May 1, 2016, 6:10 pm
  #18  
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Cool

Originally Posted by NYCommuter
To respond to several posts that say what the extract above does:

I don't push past people. When the seatbelt light goes off, in the seconds before others get up, I can usually walk up 2 or 3 rows if I'm in coach. I stop immediately when others start pouring into the aisle.

With that info, is what I'm doing THAT bad?

When people stand there (like one guy did on Saturday), with several rows of completely empty space, for a few minutes, I and a few others were literally on top of each other behind him. He squeezed us just so he could allegedly be polite to people in front of him.
I think you're honestly asking for opinions.

Yes, it is rude to push your way up the aisle. You then prevent the people in the row you are standing next to from getting up just because they didn't hop up the microsecond the bell sounded.

It's much more polite to wait for those ahead to get off.
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Old May 1, 2016, 6:48 pm
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
I think you're honestly asking for opinions.

Yes, it is rude to push your way up the aisle. You then prevent the people in the row you are standing next to from getting up just because they didn't hop up the microsecond the bell sounded.

It's much more polite to wait for those ahead to get off.

agreed!!
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Old May 1, 2016, 6:50 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by MojaveFlyer
When I'm in the aisle, which is usually the case, I stand up immediately upon the "OK" signal. I'm already crowded in my seat and happy to stand, and by standing up I give more space to the middle seat person next to me to gather their belongings. Unfortunately for the folks who want to spring ahead, I wait for the rows in front of me to clear, then follow.

A pet peeve of mine is when I'm traveling with my family (youngest age 16, all able-bodied) and as the second of us exits the row someone behind tries to push ahead. Very rude. I don't want to act like that. So I just wait.
I'm up the instant the light goes off too, grab my carry-on from the overhead and leave room for the middle and window passengers to get out before me.

People who push into me from behind generally find it an unproductive activity which I attribute to my playing rugby as a young man and being involved in large media scrums early in my career.
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Old May 1, 2016, 6:52 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
I think you're honestly asking for opinions.

Yes, it is rude to push your way up the aisle. You then prevent the people in the row you are standing next to from getting up just because they didn't hop up the microsecond the bell sounded.

It's much more polite to wait for those ahead to get off.
Yes, I'm certainly asking for opinions.

Again, I don't "push [my] way up the aisle". When I get up, if there are a few rows of space, I move up.

That clears the way for people behind me to get up, and I've never blocked anyone from getting up; if there's someone stepping into the aisle, I stop, and once I've stopped, if someone is wanting to get into the aisle, I let him/her, although admittedly it can be a squeeze.

I'm not following why it's polite for the people who want to sit there and call Honey to let Honey know that the plane landed should hold the rest of us up since they don't get up asap.
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Old May 1, 2016, 7:06 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by NYCommuter
Yes, I'm certainly asking for opinions.

Again, I don't "push [my] way up the aisle". When I get up, if there are a few rows of space, I move up.

That clears the way for people behind me to get up, and I've never blocked anyone from getting up; if there's someone stepping into the aisle, I stop, and once I've stopped, if someone is wanting to get into the aisle, I let him/her, although admittedly it can be a squeeze.

I'm not following why it's polite for the people who want to sit there and call Honey to let Honey know that the plane landed should hold the rest of us up since they don't get up asap.
But that's not what you are doing. You're rushing forward before anyone has a reasonable chance to get up from the aisle seats in front of you. What most of us are saying is that we see that as rude, and that's what you asked us to comment on. It seems like you are trying to gauge whether you should do as you do now, or be a little more patient.

There are always going to be a middle or window pax or two who clearly aren't going to be up in time to keep traffic flowing, and it's OK to zip past while they're still seated gathering their crap, but if they're standing waiting to get into the aisle, we should let them.

Is what you're doing a major crime? Heck, no. But things will probably go a little smoother all over if you take the slightly more patient way.
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Old May 1, 2016, 7:30 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
But that's not what you are doing. You're rushing forward before anyone has a reasonable chance to get up from the aisle seats in front of you....

There are always going to be a middle or window pax or two who clearly aren't going to be up in time to keep traffic flowing, and it's OK to zip past while they're still seated gathering their crap, but if they're standing waiting to get into the aisle, we should let them.
They certainly have a reasonable chance to get up.

On Saturday, I stood up, and the guy in the row in front of me stood up. We (and people around and behind me) all stood there, squeezed, for 4 minutes while the jetbridge connected to the plane. Nobody in front of the guy in front of me stood up, but he stood there, without moving forward, so there were 3 rows' worth of clear aisle space in front of him for 4 minutes. I would have liked to move up 3 rows, but I was stuck.

As I've stated, if they're looking like they're about to move into the aisle, I stop and let them do so.

What I zip past is the people who sit there to call Honey and let Honey know that the plane landed, or people who want to do their hair, or finish that video game, etc. before standing up. I don't think that they should hold the rest of us up. It's like people who sit there after the end of a concert or church service or something, while people in the middle of the row want to leave but can't.
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Old May 1, 2016, 8:23 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by NYCommuter
They certainly have a reasonable chance to get up.

On Saturday, I stood up, and the guy in the row in front of me stood up. We (and people around and behind me) all stood there, squeezed, for 4 minutes while the jetbridge connected to the plane. Nobody in front of the guy in front of me stood up, but he stood there, without moving forward, so there were 3 rows' worth of clear aisle space in front of him for 4 minutes. I would have liked to move up 3 rows, but I was stuck.

As I've stated, if they're looking like they're about to move into the aisle, I stop and let them do so.

What I zip past is the people who sit there to call Honey and let Honey know that the plane landed, or people who want to do their hair, or finish that video game, etc. before standing up. I don't think that they should hold the rest of us up. It's like people who sit there after the end of a concert or church service or something, while people in the middle of the row want to leave but can't.
It seems you aren't really asking for opinions but rather want to justify your actions.

Personally, I think it is discourteous, and I give kudos for the guy that was in front of you. Your moving up does not make the plane empty any faster. The only thing it does is a) improve your time disembarking by at most sixty seconds; and b) cause congestion making it more difficult for the people around your new forward position to gather their things and disembark.

If I were to rank discourteous things that people do on an airplane, this would not be at the top of the list. I would say it is mildly discourteous, but still discourteous.
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Old May 1, 2016, 8:33 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by bitburgr
You sound like a real winner. Do you feel better after making your snide comment?
Would've said something similar.
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Old May 1, 2016, 8:58 pm
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I am one who finds the OP's actions to come across rude, whether that is the intention or not. I personally like to stand up quickly and grab my stuff with full intent of allowing my seat mates and those ahead to exit before me.

Those that just sit when their row is pulled, I will pass up, but if you are ahead of me and making your way out, you may go.

My peeve is being in a window seat and not being allowed out without forcing my way in front of people seated behind me, but who are pushing forward.

It is the main reason I will hold up the people behind while my row exits.
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Old May 2, 2016, 1:43 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
People who try to sprint past me from behind are likely to run into my elbow.

Good grief, just wait for those in front to get out.
Agreed. I think it's totally rude to try and move up. I can only imagine the chaos if everyone acted like the OP and jumped up and tried to move up the aisle the second the light went off. Exit row by row. It's orderly and easy.
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Old May 2, 2016, 9:23 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by Tchiowa
If the person in the row in front of me is actively getting up and into the aisle I won't try to push past him. But if they're sitting and waiting (some people don't want to deal with the crowd) then I will step forward.
This +1. I won't rush past anyone who is making an effort to go with the flow (at any speed) but someone sitting there not getting up is someone who is getting passed.
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Old May 2, 2016, 10:34 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by NYCommuter
On Saturday, I stood up, and the guy in the row in front of me stood up. We (and people around and behind me) all stood there, squeezed, for 4 minutes while the jetbridge connected to the plane. Nobody in front of the guy in front of me stood up, but he stood there, without moving forward, so there were 3 rows' worth of clear aisle space in front of him for 4 minutes. I would have liked to move up 3 rows, but I was stuck.
This seems like a very odd and rare situation. Usually someone from each row jumps up and starts putting on their coat, grabbing carryons, etc. I have never in my millions of miles flown where 18 people (3 rows x 6 per row) all sat perfectly still and didn't make any attempt to start to gather their personal belongings from the overhead.

Secondly do you travel with nothing? Since you don't seem to need to gather anything from the overhead then you must be heading to baggage claim and waiting there.

I would be interested in seeing this jack rabbit move where you dash up so quickly. I don't think you have to wait for everyone to deplane. For example, I frequently sit in the window and I need to usually grab something from the overhead. If the person from the row behind me is packed and ready (already removed items from the bin) then I will signal them along so that I can then step into the aisle and grab my bag. All you are doing when you do this jack rabbit move is prevent the people from the row you are now crowding from getting up and gathering their belongings thus prolonging the deplaning process.
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Old May 2, 2016, 11:33 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by NYCommuter
When I get off a plane, as I am usually in an aisle seat and am pretty quick, When the "fasten seatbelts" sign goes off, I usually get up from my seat and walk forward as many rows as I can before the aisle gets crowded. I have no problem if others do that in front of me. I figure that the quick and agile people can get off first, and then people who prefer to take their time slowly get out of their seats and do whatever they want.

Recently, people who do not look like frequent flyers in coach have stood up when the fasten seatbelt sign goes off. Instead of moving forward, though, they just stand their at their row, even though the aisle is free for quite a ways towards the exit. They keep standing there until passengers in rows in front of them have stood up, gotten their bags and moved forward.

I can see that those non-frequent flyers don't want to be seen as cutting in line, but they're holding everyone up behind them.

So which is proper plane etiquette when getting off:

1. Stand up and zip forward if you can (if people in rows ahead of you are still seated), or

2. Stand up and stand there until every single person in front of you has gotten up, gotten bags and moved towards the exit?

To be clear, I am NOT saying that it's OK to cut in front of people who are standing in front of you.

EDITED TO ADD: The question is, "during the few seconds before anyone else has stood up, is it OK to move forward a few rows"? I have never gotten a bad reaction, and I see people (usually frequent flyers) do it during the workweek all the time.

Thanks.

I hate people who do this. The only time this is even mildly acceptable, is when the plane is late, and those with tight connections get up to try to run.

I hate the people and crowd the aisle even before the door to the aircraft is open, or there is a jetway.


Now I will admit, sometimes I get up as soon as im able, but thats only if my rollerboard is in a bin rows behind my seat, Because I dont want to hold people to go back to get it. Even then, I will grab my roller board and go back to my row, I dont run to the front.
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