A passenger at the back of a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 came up with a novel way to be first off the plane: “Prove you’re not racist and let all the black people off the plane first.” He said it as he walked all the way to the forward galley. It worked.
This was a United Boeing 737-800, and the placard identifies it as N78524, a 2010 Continental aircraft. It operated flight 1657 from Chicago O’Hare to New York LaGuardia on Saturday and the video’s creator is Chicago-based and comments “New York im here.” So that seems likely to be the flight.
The man gets up from the back of economy while most passengers are still seated and there’s an open aisle ahead of him. As people let him pass, he rewards them with “Good job.” The patronizing approval is awesome.
Eventually there are passengers standing and retrieving bags, so he makes his case: he tells one passenger, “Excuse me, sir. You’re not racist, right?” Then: “Prove you’re not racist and let me off the plane first.” Our deplaner declares that everyone is an ally and that “America is great.” Even the flight attendant at the forward door of the aircraft laughs.
The door is still closed when he reaches the front. He outmaneuvered the rest of the flight and eventually walks alone off the plane. His premise was to let “all the black people” off first, but commenters spot a Black woman and a Black child he passed.
Why Everybody Let Him Through
The passenger started during the brief dead period after the seat belt sign went off but before the aisle filled. He had no roller bag to retrieve or drag. By the time passengers farther forward were standing, he already had momentum. Then he created a choice:
- Letting him pass costs a passenger a couple seconds.
- Refusing meant being filmed while answering an accusation of racism.
A decision not to move doesn’t have to be even close to racist to realize that moving for most people is the cheaper option! He also asks one person at a time, smiling, and immediately supplies positive reinforcement: “Good job.” Each passenger sees that everyone behind has already played along which makes the social cost of being the first holdout higher.
The Comments Are Almost As Good As The Video
The primary reaction of viewers was delight. I know I laughed pretty hard. “I’m not using my black privilege enough” —
- “Rosa Parks would’ve been so proud”
- “Blackmail”
- “You are such a sweet bully”
Some dissenters called it racism, bullying and line-cutting. I’ve covered the “world’s best deplaner” before, and just last month wrote about another United passenger racing from the back of a 737.
The norm is still that rows ahead go first. You should stand and get ready as soon as the seat belt sign turns off, moving into the aisle to make room for passengers stuck in the middle and at the window. It’s fine to move through a clear opening without slowing anyone else. It’s not fine to force your way past people who are ready to leave.
This would not go well with me
I don’t care what race you are
Coming back from asia to YVR, several times chinese and indian passengers try to pull this off
I simply get up and stand in the aisle and let the rows in front of me deplane first as it should be
Non-existent “racism” ; just a political slogan used by those to drive us apart , or to create ill-will . Whenever I see such a malevolent word , it registers as “fake” .
Well, **maybe** he proved the other passengers weren’t racist (more likely, he proved they were sheep).
But he **definitely** proved he’s a jerk.
I would happily let someone deplane before me if they were racing to make a connection. But I don’t mind being called a racist, rather than letting someone else deplane ahead of me for no reason.
This some top-shelf rage-bait.
I wonder what this guy looked like? Was he weird or amusing looking? His behavior was that of an slightly obnoxious jerk, yet people didn’t seem too annoyed, and were even amused. Perhaps he was wearing a clown costume, or maybe just a large, bright red clown nose? Everyone loves a clown, after all.
Or maybe this was a staged comedy skit he arranged with his fellow passengers during the flight?
Perhaps he was an obvious, but harmless nut, of the sort people just smirk at.
@Raphael Solomon — Oh… “racing” to make a connection. Get it… a “race”-ist. Bah!
Wait! What? He is flaunting a Gucci bag while complaining about other people’s “privilege ”?!?!
I’d gladly stand up in his way and tell him he can wait like the rest of us.
Reminds me of a story in Readers Digest where someone said he was in a long line of soldiers waiting to go into an office. One of them stepped forward and shook hands with each of the others, congratulating them on their work. As he finished talking to the first one in line he stepped through the door ahead of him.
Hutzpah, you gotta love it.