I just flew IcelandAir for the first time, which uses a seating configuration which has the first class cabin forward of the main door, with coach behind the door. I was a bit shocked that the flight attendants would block the aisles to coach upon landing and opening the door to allow the "saga" (business) class passengers to disembark first, at whatever leisurely pace they choose, before coach passengers.

Has anyone experienced this on other airlines? I�ve never seen it before, and found it simply rather ridiculous on my outbound flight to Europe, when I was excited and in a good mood to be at my destination, but on my return found it annoying, insulting, disgusting, and tacky. I really wanted to get off that plane. I felt like a passenger locked behind a gate in steerage on the Titanic. A flight attendant actually chased me back into coach because I was forward in the cabin and made it to the door before she could block the aisle.

This practice especially disgusted me because it�s passengers blocking the aisle while they fetch bags from the overhead bins that really slow down the disembarking process - not people who already have their bags and are at the door, ready to exit the plane quickly. There was plenty of room for coach passengers to exit in between the first class passengers.

Is this practice even legal? They are essentially detaining one class of passengers and not the other. If they want to control access *to* their aircraft, offering certain passengers preboarding and such, that�s one thing, but it doesn�t seem right to detain 150+ passengers in coach on landing unless they have a better reason than fare class.

Virgin did that to me on arrival in LAS. Very very tacky.

It's pretty common across the board in my experience. I've seen it on every airline I've flown. Not all of them seem to do it as a standard operating procedure, but it's a common occurance.

Doesn't really bother me (and I travel almost exclusively in coach on trans-atlantic). It's one of the benefits of the business/first class.

I can't possibly imagine that the practice would be in violation of any laws.

I agree with IAHflyer, it is just one of the benefits of F/J class. However, IMHO, it would be reasonable to allow the coach passengers to get off if some slow F/J class passengers are taking their sweet time to get off. Emirates tends to do this (when there is only one jetway.)

BA does it on every 777 and 747 international flight I've ever been on.

I hate getting stuck half way down the stairs on the 747.

Plus I get First Class envy.

I could understand offering this "benefit" if it really mattered much, but this seems a bit disgustingly class based as passengers ready to exit are not really going to hold anyone up. I do wonder if it's legal - there are very few situations where it is legal to prevent freedom of movement like that. I certainly wouldn't allow myself to be detained from moving freely to where I wanted to go in many other situations (I certainly wasn't going to make a big deal about this on the aircraft in this day and age).

I've mainly seen this done when we're deplaning through a single door that is located behind F/C and in front of Y. Didn't bother me, even when I was in Y. They paid more for their seats and it seems reasonable that one of the perks should be first off. On other flights where the exit was at the very front I haven't seen any extraordinary effort to keep the Y pax at bay, but naturally the F/C folk who care get to be first off just be virtue of being closer to the door.

I don't see an issue here.

Every bit as legal as allowing premium cabin passengers and elites to board before non-elite, coach class passengers. And just as legal as "detaining" coach class customers behind the curtain and denying them access to the premium cabin lavoratory.

Tacky? Certainly.

Unnecessary as well? Yes, given that most premium cabin passengers have their checked luggage priority tagged and often have expedited lanes through customs and immigration. Not to mention they still should be able to disembark in an expeditious manner anyway should they chose to do so given that there is much less traffic seeking egress from a premium cabin, even factoring in the necessity of merging with exit-bound coach class passengers as the haves meet with the have-nots in the middle at the door.

Having flown several Chinese airlines in the last year, I can tell you that this is normal - and as a F PAX, I appreciated it. Of course things are different in China where the idea of lining up is unknown....

PAX in F were allowed to deboard, while the FA's used some serious Hockey skills to block Y class PAX from rushing the doors.

Now - if as you said a F PAX is in slow-mo, then yes, the Y folks should be allowed to deplane while that lingering F PAX gets his things together.

JMHO - and just another benefit of the fare paid.

Jim

That is normal.

I have no problem with people who pay more receiving priority treatment. It happens everywhere in every industry.

When I fly First or Business, I expect to have some extra 'sugar' for the cost of my ticket. I was in First on an AA flight to Washington DC and watched in amusement as a famous US Senator who was flying in Economy was held back while First cleared out. He knew that he had to wait....and did so.

that on 747's with an upper cabin, you have pax lumbering down the stairs with sometimes 2 pieces of (heavy) luggage, not an easy thing to do under even the best circumstances. I have to tell you, I *really* appreciate having the FA's execise some traffic control ^ when we're all deplaning from 2L, and I'm crashing down the stairs, just barely able to stay upright while honchoing my rollaboard and carry-on.
And when in first, I really appreciate being allowed to scoot off quickly.
OTOH, I can't say I've noticed any significant impact when traveling in coach, and been "held back" while others trundled off.

you're quite right, on my Virgin flight i just happened to be the person right at the front waiting like a fool which irked me a bit.

By your username, it seems you are a lawyer and would know better than I would, but to me, it does seem like there is a big difference between holding someone in a confined space on a plane upon landing vs. in an airport terminal where you really are not confined at all (free to leave the terminal if you wish). It seems like a night and day difference to me, and it especially did at the time this occured - being very tall and in a confined space for several hours.

And in the air, in who knows what jurisdiction, I'll gladly abide by almost any direction given to me by the flight crew, including honoring the fare class curtain (which I would do in any case).

I'm all for extra benefits for higher fare tickets, and expect that myself, but it seems that the airlines should focus on other areas than this. At the very least, it seems that they should only block the Y class passengers for the very first folks ready to quickly get out of first/business. After that, even first/business passengers are likely going to be held up by fellow passengers fetching their bags from the overhead.

Illegal? no such laws....

tacky? I don't see it that way, YMMV.

if somebody paid $10K for the same flight that you paid $500, I think they deserve little more consideration, as in getting to passport control first, having their luggage first and getting out of the airport ASAP so they could make some more $ to pay for another F ticket.....it's just business......

You do realize that airlines also provide "Special Services" to the big spenders. That usually includes an escort services through security, a baggage valet, a personal valet upon arrival, a cart ride to the connecting gates, etc.... I just thought you should know.....

Welcome to FT!