It would be really great if passengers stayed as orderly on the aircraft throughout the entire flight – instead people practically dive head first into the aisles as soon as it’s time to get up, if not before.
We’ve always been told after a flight lands to keep your seat belt buckled until the pilot parks at the gate and turns off the seat belt sign.
Once the plane stops (you might still not be at the gate, and will move again) passengers start to take off their seat belts, gather their belongings and sometimes even make their way into the aisle. How come? What’s the benefit of doing this?
Unbuckle early, get into the aisle a second or two early, you’re still just spending more time in the aisle – you aren’t off the plane any faster. And you’re likely to crowd into other people. While it’s not super common, planes do clip each other while they’re on an active taxiway. Baggage trucks and catering trucks run into aircraft. Pilots hit the brakes.
Passengers are supposed to remain belted for a reason, but they don’t, you’d expect there to be some upside to the behavior right?
- For a passenger in the aisle seat there’s at least the argument that the aisle might get crowded or blocked, you’ve been sitting a long time and want to ensure an opportunity to stretch your legs.
- What explains the passenger in the middle or window seat, though? They’re at best half standing, hunched over because of the placement of the overhead bin (at least on a narrowbody aircraft).
Is it just that we want off the aircraft so badly, and getting up gives us the illusion of progress?
I wait for the ding, but I kinda follow the rules
In the rare case of a very tight connection, racing forward can save 20 seconds. If there is someone who is particularly slow that is sitting one row ahead, racing forward could potentially save 1 minute. That rarely matters but it could. I used to fly on itineraries where I had to make a connection 100% of the time. Now, it is down to 15% of the time. That might mean that I have a tight connection where 20-60 seconds might make a difference one time out of 2000 flights. I have not flown through Atlanta for several years.
people are always in such a hurry.. getting off the plane is the worse.. I think there should be a contest for the Guiness Book record of how may people can we cram in the isle of a 737, 777, 767, etc,etc,etc, and lets try and break it on each flight………..lol
Slow News Day.
I think that one should wait until the seatbelt bell. However, I have wondered for years why they make such a big deal about being sitting down, with one’s seatbelt on when one is on an “active taxi way” when one on a bus going across the same area of airport grounds often is not able to even find a seat and nobody seems concerned about this.
I unbuckle my seat belts immediately after landing and have my laptop bag on my lap. Always get an aisle seat to want to make sure I’m ready to get up as soon as we are at the gate. No problem and could care less what anyone else thinks. BTW I do this in w it rows on 321s w a flight attendant sitting there and they don’t say anything. Usually they are doing exactly what I am.
Getting up and “prepared” to leave — no matter who it is, results in a faster deplaning for everyone. If we all kept in our seats and didn’t get up until the people in front of us did, it would be slower for everyone. That’s the purpose of all of this. So if that’s the case, I would rather be the person with my backpack and carry-on ready to go when the time comes.
The seatbelt rule is not just for you. It’s for everyone around you, so your body weight is not thrusted upon them if the pilot hits the brakes.
Please follow this rule.
Oh boy. This topic again. May I assume tomorrow will be should you recline your seat.
Think we need to suggest some new topics to discuss.
Leave the freaking belt on until the light goes out and the bell rings. You will still have plenty of time, they have to open the door and bring the jetway over. Many moons ago my wife was working a US Airways flight on an F100, they were pulling up to the gate when some idiot unbuckled and stood up, the pilot had to slam on the brakes to keep from hitting a fuel truck. Mr. Idiot ended up on the floor unconscious, now they have to call in medical and EVERYONE is delayed getting off the plane.
@guflyer — You raise a very valid point!
Earlier this year I was on a United/Commuteair ERJ145 where someone stood up after landing at IAD. After the FA’s instructions to sit down were ignored twice the FA called the cockpit, the plane was stopped on the taxiway, and the captain announced that the plane would not move with anyone out of their seat, and if everyone was not seated immediately the plane would be met by police. Is it worth a conversation with law enforcement and possible airline ban?
The illusion of progress is all I have going for me.
I’m small and do not want to stand in line with 200 people trying to get off the plane.And I have been stuck between passengers and literally moved by others.Now I just stay in my seat and watch the Sh*t Show
Just follow the rules – it seems like everyone thinks they are so much more important than anyone else and they are above the law. Have we forgotten our basic kindergarten level knowledge of how to follow rules / behave in a polite society? Also,
remember the Rj hit by the A380? https://youtu.be/WJCqBQLTWmw
MIAMI (MIA & FLL) is the world’s capital of people jumping into the aisle while the plane is still taxiing to the arrival gate. Person next to me is always like “WTF is with all these people pushing down the aisle?” Me: “I gotta live here you at least are on vacation.”
Type A aggressive personalities. Me first, it’s all about me, get outta my way pal. There are enough of those people on every flight that this situation is common. And from my travel experience they are pretty much all men.
Do you unbuckle your belt in your car before it comes to a stop a home? What is the difference? Accidents happen.
Reminds me of one of my favorite FlyerTalk threads, back in the day- “Don’t you hate it when you are standing up waiting in line to disembark, and all these people in front of you cut in?”.
It’s one of those statements that on the surface seems quite reasonable (“yeah, I hate line cutters!”) until you think about it for a minute…