Some flyers believe that the best thing to do when your plane lands is to remain seated until it’s their turn to get off of the aircraft. They shake their heads, wondering why people stand up when they can’t really go anywhere until the doors of the aircraft open, and everyone ahead of them gets off first. This view is sometimes expressed in harsh terms, mocking those who stand immediately. But it’s also 100% wrong.
You may not get anywhere (much) more quickly, but you might be more comfortable and crucially by using all the available space in the aircraft you’re helping other passengers be more comfortable, too.
The prevailing view is expressed in this shirt making the rounds in social media: “Standing up as soon as the airplane stops won’t help you get off sooner.”
It turns out that versions of this shirt are for sale all over the internet.
The overwhelming majority of people seem to get frustrated and annoyed with passengers who stand up immediately after landing, especially on short flights. They perceive this behavior as inconsiderate and disruptive to the deboarding process.
Mostly they think it’s selfish, and doesn’t help speed up the deplaning process. They want people to follow their (imagined) rules. They’re also very wrong.
To be sure, you should be polite when you get up. Don’t try to run past everyone else in the aisles or climb over other passengers. But also, don’t react this way to passengers trying to make progress when the plane comes to a complete stop and the seat belt sign is turned off.
There are three reasons to get up right away – why it benefits you and most importantly benefits your fellow passengers.
- Getting ready to deplane, including getting things out of the overhead bin, speeds up the process. That means getting everyone off the aircraft a couple of minutes faster. And that means more people make tight connections (which is polite to your fellow travelers). It also means allowing those couple of minutes for cleaners to get on board and clean the aircraft (polite to the cleaners, letting them do their job, and polite to the next passengers on the plane). It helps with the airline’s operation, too, which makes them more efficient and holds down costs and ultimately fares.
- It’s polite to the middle seat passenger who’s been stuck in place for hours when the person in the aisle seat gets up into the aisle. When you no longer have to have seat belts fastened, you want to take advantage of all of the space in the aircraft. The aisle seat passenger gets into the aisle, the middle seat passenger now has the space of the aisle seat to spread into, and the window seat passenger has a bit more elbow room as well. Why wouldn’t you use all of the space in the aircraft for comfort?
- You’ve been stuck in an uncomfortable seat for hours, why not stand as soon as you can? Especially in an era of less-padded slimline seats, it’s time to give your back a rest.
There’s really little benefit to remaining seated until it’s your row’s turn to deplane. While there’s no obligation to cram into the aisles immediately (except perhaps an obligation to make a little room for the passenger in the middle seat to stretch out), it’s not reasonable to criticize passengers for getting up to stretch, and to get their carry on bags down in order to deplane efficiently.
So go ahead and stand as soon as your plane lands and arrives at the gate. Don’t wait until everyone in the rows ahead of you has had their turn to get off the plane. This helps everyone stretch out a little bit, and move faster off the plane, which benefits other passengers, the airline, and ultimately you too. It’s the sort of forward-leaning behavior that separates expert travelers from the masses who are doing it wrong.
Window seats 4 eva! No stress levels at landing
The only annoying thing is the person who clearly had everything ready at landing, who runs up the aisle a few rows and now is standing in front of the people who should be standing and unloading.
@Shannon the Slow — Respect. I’d imagine those Jetway, Jesus folks take away already strained and limited resources from folks such as yourself who actually need the assistance. I’m glad you still ‘get around’ as I know that must not be easy. Take care out there!
This article is completely on point. We need to make an opposite shirt. “Stand up and get your junk out of the overhead AND the seat back AND under the seat and ready to get off so you don’t block everyone behind you”
Totally agree here. As a regular aisle seat holder with longer legs and feeling my 40s, having the chance to stretch my legs a bit while waiting also helps avoid an embarrassing cramp and possible delay for those behind me versus having to get up and start walking immediately. Plus I do tend to travel with a seat cushion and tablet, so it’s nice to have those safely stored in my bags before my row starts moving and everyone’s waiting for me. If anything the rude ones are those who know they have a dozen small items removed from their carryon and wait to cram it all in on the spot.
I have flown many, many times throughout my career and I agre with Gary totally. I get up and get my bags ready to deplane. So many times, those who sit and wait for rows in front of them to deplane are totally unready and delay everyone behind them I can immediately get out of everyone else’s way when the line moves in front of me. It is those wo get up last minute when the aisle clears and start looking around for their things that cause unnecessary delays. That is discourteous.
There are those of us who, while an EXP for the last 8 years, have to fly the least logical fare presented in Concur due to company or government policy, no exceptions.
Many of my flights are booked at only 5-7 days before the flight. Closer aisle seats are rarely available, and when I mentioned 32 minutes in an earlier post, my bad, I meant 36 minutes in CLT.
I find it funny that those who don’t want to get up are critical of those who do, as if it was a sign of being superior in some way. They seem to be trying to control others (through criticism) when it’s absolutely the majority that do get up – and do so with good reason.
The slowpokes who like to keep everyone behind them waiting as they get their stuff together last minute are not doing anyone any favours and they are the inconsiderate ones. Avoiding the delays & obstructions caused by several passengers doing this throughout the plane is one of the reasons I always try to sit close to the front of the plane. But you do you and just leave the rest of us alone. We’re not obliging anyone to get up who doesn’t want to.
Yet another tempest in a teapot. If these people have a boring life and need drama they get a t shirt and holler at people. I for 1 can make my own decisions and want to stretch my legs.
the problem isn’t people getting up etc, the problem is people are inconsiderate and pushing their way up a bit which in turn does not allow you to get up etc….this article is written w/1 way of thinking and that is not the way it is on most flights
Very wrong? Hardly. Long story about a couple of very minor points that aren’t worth getting all worked up about. Writer didn’t mention that most people who get up quickly are not doing it to be considerate, just the opposite. They want to get ahead of 3 or 4 people on the way out. And most people opposing the view of the article are correct, bad selfish behavior should not be rewarded.
I’m standing just as soon as I can. If you want to stay seated, good for you! Stop being judgmental. I can get off sooner as I already have my stuff and don’t have to wait for you to get out of the way.
What do the flight attendant say
“Standing up as soon as the airplane stops won’t help you get off sooner.” That’s cute that you think anyone cares what you think. Spoiler Alert — they don’t. If you don’t want to stand up after the seat belt light goes off, then don’t.
I am sooo tired of the selfish hog people who think they have the right because they get on first to put all their carryon in the over head when they are supposed to be put in under the seats!!! So when I do get up my shjt is further back and I can’t get to it until everyone leaves!!!
Maybe people in the window seats up front should let the folks standing in the aisle behind them with all their things ready to go past first? Maybe treat the aisle like a highway merge and let one party past (if they’re ready) before blocking the aisle to get things out of the overhead bin?
I think the distinction needs to be made between getting after LANDING. And getting up at the gate. All too often people start getting up while the plane is still moving. Some idjits try while the plane is still going 80 mph before even turning off the runway.
As for those saying they need to strech…. y’all had plenty of time before descent. They turn on the seatbelt sign 30 minutes prior to landing. You mean you can’t sit still for 40 minutes?.
I think the distinction needs to be made between getting after LANDING. And getting up at the gate. All too often people start getting up while the plane is still moving. Some idjits try while the plane is still going 80 mph before even turning off the runway.
As for those saying they need to strech…. y’all had plenty of time before descent. They turn on the seatbelt sign 30 minutes prior to landing. You mean you can’t sit still for 40 minutes?.
Had to fly with sciatica and getting up from my aisle seat as soon as the seatbelt light is off was a huge relief – agree with getting a headstart on organizing things as long as I am not barreling over other people. Also if the flight has been delayed, I will wait for people trying to catch connections to go firstbefore getting up even with the sciatic pain. The thing that annoys me the most is during boarding at the gate, passengers wait for their zones to be called while standing IN THE MIDDLE of the airport aisleway where people and their luggage are trying to walk through. Typically the open space in front of the gate agent desk would be empty. Either wait til your zone is called, or line up sideways, but keep the hallways open! It can be done.
This only makes sense if everyone’s bag is actually in their seat’s overhead bin, but I’ve never seen that be the case. If someone’s bag is really far away from them, they can’t get it to because everyone’s standing in the aisle blocking their path.
By not getting out of my seat, I’m being considerate of others so they can easily get to their bag. I guess this only works out with 100% efficiency if EVERYONE did the same thing though, but they don’t. Hence why they should.
How about stand back from the dang luggage carousel? Stand back until you see your bag and get out of everyone’s way.
It’s been my experience that the majority of people get up and gather their stuff to wait to get off.
I have seen people push their way forward, but it (not yet, anyway) doesn’t as common as just standing.
Frequent traveller here. I’m usually in an aisle seat. I stand as soon as the fasten seat belt sign is turned off. I have terrible back pain. Standing relieves the pain from sitting. Standing gives my seat mates some well deserved room. I open the overhead, assist others with getting their bags if asked, and patiently stand there until it is my row’s turn to exit. I always motion for my row mates to exit in front of me. Why do people care if I stand? I know I’m not leaving the plane any sooner. The fact they assume the rationale of my action says more about them.
If you sat for hours, on that flight, you can sit for just a few more minutes until it’s your turn to get off! No need to get all weird and antsy when there is no place to go! When you stand up to grab your bags you actually lean over the person beside you on either side sometimes crowding their space!
I completely disagree with this article!
Sit your ass down and wait till it’s your turn to exit!
Wouldn’t deplaning go much faster if those in the aisle who already have their bags and are ready to go be allowed to go, instead of waiting until EVERYBODY in front of them be allowed to get out of their seats, get their bags from the overhead bins and move out? We don’t load the plane, row by row, front to back. Why unload that way?
I always stand. ASAP. If, like me, you’ve been hit on the head when another passenger couldn’t retrieve her suitcase in the overhead bin without dropping it on my head, you would stand too. Once is enough.