I don't usually encounter this issue as I generally get to sit in the front row of whatever cabin I'm traveling in. However I do find that suddenly standing after hours being seated tends to "move things around" internally, so sometimes I might issue flatulence which I find spices up the proceedings. I feel sure that someone with delicate sensibilities is going to come along and claim that this behavior is somehow "rude"...

I'd put people who rush forward, even if there's an opening they can slide through without knocking someone else over, in the same category as those who get as close to the gate as they can before their group is called to board (they've been called "gate lice" on FT) and those who crowd the luggage carousel in the belief that rubbing against it will make their suitcase arrive sooner. There's no law against it, they're not committing assault, but it's rude. Some people have strange compulsions, though.

Yes! This!! Carousel lice. They're the worst. I often wonder why so many people leave their brain at home when they travel.

Well you opened the the thread patently, it seems to me, looking for some sort of blessing, you haven't got it, you started backtracking a little; take a telling - most in this thread have said that what you are doing is just not very nice.

Once the doors are open and the people are flowing, it's ok to skip past people who clearly wish to remain seated. But otherwise jumping forward a few rows as the seatbelt light goes off is just a bit silly and rude IMHO. How much time do you reasonably expect to gain? 20 seconds at best for being one or two rows forward?

Saw a guy do this in CEB a few months ago, he was only in the 3rd or 4th row of Y anyway so not far back. Dashed up as the light went off, blocked the people in the first row from moving, then proceeded to amble up the middle of the jetway like he had all day, making it difficult for people to get past...

In these circumstances, I simply stand back a little, making space for my family to exit in front of me.

Usually it takes ages before the doors open after gating, but most of the passengers push their way, I guess trying to be out the plane as #1.
I remain in my seat until the masses move one seat ahead. Bugger.

Just days ago lading Doha A380 Y upper deck seat 28G middle aisle lucky me 4 seats for my own, usual scenario of people pushing to the back stairs, nothing happening for 10 minutes, FA keeping the upper deck pax waiting for the lower deck to empty.

When the folks started moving an FA standing at the bar curtain winked me her side to walk through the biz section. I had a chat with an FA and was last passenger to leave the plane, very relaxed.

I do hate people pushing their way to the doors whilst they are unable to leave the plane anyway, but adopt the Thai way: Mai pen rai.

It does rather depend on the airport as to how relaxed it's worth being when disembarking. There's no excuse for rudeness, but there's times when it's worth angling to get your bag down and being first down the steps, and times when it's better just to relax and be last off.

Airport with few international flights, slow immigration, no checked luggage? I'll be off as quickly as I reasonably can.

Airport with constant stream of flights, bus gate, checked luggage whose delivery is slower than immigration (or it's a domestic flight)? I'll relax :)

I did this once, except that my bag was in the overhead 4 rows ahead of me. So after the seat belt sign went off, I walked forward 4 rows to where the overhead with my bag is, got my bag out then stood next to the row of my bag. A fellow pax then called me out for pushing in line and saying it's bad etiquette. I see opinions are pretty mixed here...

i just free for all it. if there's available space, i take it up. it's like a highway or subway; you're actually speeding things up for everyone by taking up unused space. if someone wants to get upset then that means their going ahead of me is extremely important to them and i don't want to deprive people of what's important to them, unless it is crass and passive aggressive like say.................


lecturing strangers on waiting in line and experiencing personal joy that someone faces their perceived comeuppance over orderliness

how torontonian

this sums up why i do not miss canada at all

I agree with many of the posts here. I let others in turn go before me unless they are clearly hanging back.

What also annoys me is when I am the closest to the door, and do get there first and give the FA's their room to do their thing, that others come from-the-side, from behind or wherever and squeeze in front of me almost pushing the FA's into the door space. To save all but what... 2 secs?

The worst type of air traveler in my opinion. I can tolerate a lot on planes, but this rubs me the wrong way. You can get up and stand, but respect the order and space of those ahead of you.

I get that people want to get a bag from rows behind them... but for you I don't get it. You pass by the bin anyway on your way out?

Exactly. I'm always on the aisle. If I'm traveling with others, I step out fairly quickly and stand next to my seat while the others I'm with walk out in front of me. If someone tries to push me out of his way or complains, I turn and smile. Makes them even angrier. ;)

My seat belt is undone before we reach the gate (I know). As soon as the seat belt sign goes off, I'm up and pulling my stuff out of the overhead. But I wait until the folks in front of me have cleared.

Pushing ahead does make it more difficult for the folks you are blocking. Often there is just not enough space for people from both aisle seats to stand in the aisle. If you are there you are blocking at least one person who could be up retrieving his/her bags from the overhead.

As others have said, it seems you came looking for justification.